NWFP Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Haji Hidayatullah Khan was told Saturday that the NWFP has surpassed all other provinces of the country in artificial insemination as a result of which the milk production has increased. He was informed about the dairy development in a briefing given to him during a visit to the Directorate of Livestock and Dairy Development by Muqarab Ali Khan, Director Livestock NWFP. Livestock Officers of 24 districts were also present on this occasion.

Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral today said farmers across the country, especially in Punjab, suffered a setback due to the decision of the Union government to withdraw incentives given under a scheme for export of skimmed milk, ghee and other dairy products. The Union government had extended the incentive schemes by a year on April 11, but then decided to withdraw it within a week of its announcement with an objective to bring down the domestic prices, Gujral said.

Identi-fying the factors that have greatly undermined Pakistan's potential as a major milk-producing country, a research suggests a thorough review of the laws empowering government to regulate milk prices. It argues that milk prices in the country are determined without taking into account rates of the essential inputs for dairy production.

Provincial Minister for Livestock Haji Hidayatullah has said that special attention would be given to the livestock and diary development in the province. Speaking at a gathering of party workers here on Sunday, the minister said that the livestock sector had been neglected by the successive governments. Every possible step would be taken to make this sector profit-earning for the farmers, he added. Earlier, Mr Hidayatullah was accorded a warm welcome by the ANP workers on his first visit to his home district.

Government has withdrawn incentives given under various schemes for exports of skimmed milk and other dairy products, a move aimed to boost supplies in the domestic market and contain high inflation rate.

IN YET another step towards combating inflation, the government has withdrawn export incentives on skimmed milk and other dairy products. Benefits provided under vishesh krishi and gram udyog yojana (VKGUY) and focus market scheme have been withdrawn for export of skimmed milk product, casein (milk protein) and other milk products as well, a public notice put out by the directorate general of foreign trade said.

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The economy of Karbi Anglong is basically agrarian and hence the economic development of the district is dependent on agro-based activities. The Animal husbandry, veterinary and dairy development programmes come next to the agriculture. This provides alternative occupation to the jhumia families and farmers. The cooperative movement which started in Gujarat with AMUL as a flagship scheme has now spread to almost 200 districts including Karbi Anglong.

The city is likely to face an acute shortage of milk following the decision taken by all associations of dairy farmers to observe an indefinite strike from Monday evening in protest against the city government's drive to ensure observance of the official rates of milk. The city government has fixed the milk rate at Rs34 per litre at the retail level but the retailers have been charging Rs40-42 per litre in different parts of the city since April 1.