Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB)

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q 1. From where we can get information about production technologies of Canola

and Sunflower?

Ans. PODB has Provincial Directorates in each province and Regional Offices in all
major oilseed growing areas. Growers can get any information about production
technology of oilseed cultivation from these offices. Brouchers, leaflets and
literature on oilseed crops are also available at these offices. Field Officers of
PODB visits the growers in their respective area and imparts production
technologies at their doorsteps.

PODB has also established a free help-line for the convenience of the growers.
Information on oilseed cultivation can be obtained free of cost by dialing the help-
line No.0800-111-33

Q 2. What is the support price of oilseed crops?

Ans. The present policy of the Government is to allow the market forces to determine
the prices of agriculture commodities. Hence, fixation of support prices for
agricultural commodities has been abandoned except wheat, sugarcane and
cotton. However, with the efforts of PODB, the All Pakistan Solvent Extractor’s
Association (APSEA) provides attractive procurement prices of canola and
sunflower crops. This year, APSEA has announced the procurement price of
Rs.830/- per 40 kg for sunflower and Rs.750/- per 40 kg for Canola crop 2006 -
07.

Q.3. Is there any credit facility available for sunflower and canola crops?

Ans. PODB itself do not provide credit facility, however, its field staff facilitate the
growers in obtaining credit/loan available from Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited
ZTBL’s one window operation.

Q 4. What is the difference between hybrid and variety seed?

Ans. Hybrid seed is prepared through scientific experiments and gives high production
compare to variety seed. However, hybrid seed is recommended for one time
sowing only. Variety seed can be used for sowing and multiplication purposes for
more than one time. The price of hybrid seed is usually high than variety seed.

Q 5. Where we can get the quality seed of oilseed crops?

Ans. PODB’s canola seed available at all Provincial Directorates and Regional Offices
in the country. Private seed companies also sell their hybrid sunflower and canola
seed through their sale points in all oilseed-growing areas. PODB’s field staff
helps growers in locating the private seed companies sale points.
 Q 6. What are the potential areas of oilseed crops in Pakistan?

Ans. Oilseed crops like canola and sunflower can be grown in all areas except highly
saline and sandy areas. Potential areas are:
Province/Distt.
Punjab Sindh NWFP Balochistan
Rawalpindi Sukkur Khairpur Peshawar/Nowshera Sibi/Kachhi
Attock Jacobabad Mardan/Swabi Nasirabad
Jhelum/Chakwal Shikarpur Charsadda Kalat/Khuzdar
Sargodha Nawabshah Kohat/Karak
Mianwali/Khushab/Bhakkar Larkana Mansehra/Kohistan
Muzaffargarh/Leiah/DGK Hyderabad Malakand/Swat/Dir
Gujrat Sanghar DIKhan/Bannu
Gujranwala Tharparkar
Sialkot/Daska Dadu
Sheikhupura Badin
Lahore/Kasur Thatta
Sahiwal/Okara
Vehari/Khanewal
Multan/Mailsi
Faisalabad/TTS/Jhang
Bahawalpur
Rahim Yar Khn
Bahawalnagar

Q7. What is advantage of growing oilseeds than other crops?

Ans. Oilseed crops, particularly sunflower is of less duration, require less irrigation and
brings more net income than other competing crops like wheat and sugarcane

Q8. What is the average price of sunflower hybrid seed in market?

Ans. Different types of hybrids sunflower seeds are available in the range from
Rs.430/- to Rs.480/- per kg.

Q.9. Does PODB provides sunflower planter and threshers to growers?

Ans. Sunflower threshers are available with different regional offices in Punjab at
nominal rent. Sunflower planters will be available in next season.

Q10. Does PODB provide any facility of oilseed seed cleaning/processing?

Ans. Yes, PODB has its three mini oilseed processing plants located at Tarnab,
Peshawar, Lakhi (Sindh) and Gandahawa (Balochistan). These plants provides
oilseed processing facility at nominal charges. Besides oilseeds, these plants also
process seed of other crops like wheat.
Q11. What is the recommended doze of fertilizer for canola and sunflower crops?

Ans. For obtaining optimum production in following doses of fertilizers are

recommended:
Sunflower: DAP one bag, Urea one bag and Potash one bag.
Canola: DAP one bag, Urea one bag and Potash one bag.

Q12. What is the proper time of fertilizer applications?

Ans. The proper time of fertilizer applications are (i). time of sowing (ii). Second
irrigation and (iii). Bud formation.

Q13. What is the time and number of irrigation required for sunflower crops?

Ans. Irrigation depends on climatic conditions i.e. more irrigation required in hot
weather while less irrigation in rainy seasons. Flower opening and seed formation
are critical stages for irrigation. Sunflower usually required 3 - 4 irrigations as
under:

First Irrigation: 30 days after sowing

Second Irrigation: 2 weeks after 1st irrigation at the time of bud formation
Third Irrigation: Flower formation
Fourth Irrigation: Seed formation

Q14. What is the seed rate of canola and sunflower sowing?

Ans. For canola sowing 1.5 Kg/acre should be used while for sunflower 2 – 2.5
Kg/acre hybrid seed should be used.

Q15. If the growers want to grow sunflower after rice what should they do?

Ans. The growers in rice track should cultivate sunflower on the residual moisture in
the rice field and irrigate at second stage of crop i.e. two weeks after sowing.

Q16. How the tomato growers in Balochistan can cultivate sunflower?

Ans. The growers can intercrop sunflower in tomato fields.

Q17. What is the proper time of harvesting canola and sunflower crops?

Ans. When 40-50 % pods of canola crop become brown and seed become reddish the
crop is ready for harvesting. The sunflower crop should be harvested when the
back side of the flower become yellowish and petals become brownish.

Q18. What care should be taken to get good price from procurement
agencies/mills?

Ans. Canola and sunflower should not be mixed with seeds of other crops. At the time
of sale seed should not have more than 8 % moisture and 2 % inert matter.
Q19. Where does PODB implementing its olive project? What facility these
project provides to growers?

Ans. PODB is implementing following two project on olive cultivation:

i. Rapid conversion of wild olive into oil bearing species
ii. New plantation of olive in NWFP, Potohar and Balochistan and
maintenance of orchards established by PODB
The location of these projects are:

Potohar: Fateh Jang, Islamabad (Bara Kahu).

Balochistan: Zhob, Barkhan.

NWFP: Swat, Malakand, Buner, Swabi, Mardan, Peshawar, Nowshehra,

Bannu, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Hazara.

The staff of these projects provides technical assistance to growers who are
interested in olive cultivation. Trainings are also arranged for growers on olive
cultivation techniques, olive nursery production, top-working etc. Olive saplings
are also available at PODB’s Oilseed Directorate located at Agriculture Research
Institute, Tarnab, Peshawar. Growers can contact National Coordinator (Olive) at
telephone No.091-2964253 for any further assistance.

Q20. What facility PODB provides to Oilpalm growers?

Ans. PODB’s Oilpalm project staff in Sindh and Balochistan provides oilpalm
production technology to growers. PODB also provide oilpalm seedlings at
Rs.35/- in easy installment to growers. Seasonal training are also arranged for
growers. A palm oil extraction mill will be established in coming years which
will cater the oilpalm fresh fruit bunches for palm oil extraction.