* Cotton and paddy crops losses at Rs 71.4 and Rs 56.3bn, respectively

* Rice production likely to drop by 27 percent

By Sajid Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Losses to the agriculture sector of the country from the floods have increased to Rs 276 billion against previous estimates of Rs 244.6 billion, official sources said on Tuesday.

According to an initial estimate prepared by the Ministry of F

About 78 per cent of rice crop in upper Sindh has been wiped out in floods.

According to preliminary estimates of the crop losses submitted to the federal government by the Sindh Agriculture Department, standing rice crops in upper Sindh, mainly Kashmore, Shikarpur, Jacobabad and Kandhkot have completely been washed away under strong torrent of flood waters.

Sources at the agriculture depar

Giorgio Fidenato has made a habit of carrying a raw ear of yellow corn and taking a hearty bite whenever a camera is in sight.

It's a provocation.

The state government has urged people not to use harmful
chemicals and non-edible colours so that their harmful effects on human body
can be prevented. The Principal Secretary, Horticulture Department has sent a
circular in this connection to all the departmental officers asking them to suggest
alternatives to the people with a view to preventing the use of harmful
chemicals.

KOCHI: The world's first electronic book on agriculture, The Agronomy and Economy of Important Tree Crops of the Developing World, compiled by K P Prabhakaran Nair, has been chosen to be kept in the British Library in London and the Congressional State Library in Washington.