The Pakistan solvent industry progress has been slow due to lack of incentives by the government while level playing field against India is not given however on their own feet they have been able to make remarkable progress and contribute heavily to the national exchequer in shape of duties, sales tax, income tax.
By giving minor adjustment and incentive we see the Pakistan industry contributing over 1,200,000 MT in future of soyabean and cannola and sunflower meals for the feed industry at lower costs and of similar quality than imported meal. It can contribute over 1,500,000 MT of vegetable oil reducing the need for imported edible oil and also encourage the development of local oilseeds such as rapeseed and sunflower and helping local farmers to look at alternatives other than traditional wheat, sugarcane and rice. Value added crops will result in expansion of locally produced oilseeds which the industry provides a ready cash buying with good procurement prices for farmers.
The industry vision is to ensure that no meals are imported in future saving valuable foreign exchange spent by the government in imports of meals and edible oil. It is this industry which can bring about a revolution where 100 pct quality meals and edible oil are produced and with new technological advances with modern machinery and modern refining process can provide edible oil at competing prices and make the consumers enjoy edible oil at lower prices of world standard quality.
It is this industry which is resulting in direct and indirect employment of staff, labour and officers and over 35000 directly employed and 200,000 staff indirectly employed which will also help reduce the unemployment and give job opportunities for unskilled, semi skilled and skilled personnel.
The economic cycle will move faster as the government looks as this industry as savers to the national exchequer of over USD 140 million already and counting. It is but small incentives which can oil this industry and will result in extraordinary growth of locally produced oilseeds - to be self sufficient in edible oil in the future. To make Pakistan an industrial state and help developed this industry like it has grown in India and China.