ISLAMABAD - President Asif Ali Zardari has vowed to turn tragedy into opportunity by encouraging and enabling sowing of canola in the flood-affected areas early next month utilising flood residual-rich soil before wheat season. He directed the Govt to make seeds and other assistance including awareness, land preparation and other inputs available to the farmers as early as possible. He issued these directions while chairing a crucial meeting on the impact of floods on food and agriculture in the Presidency on Friday. According to Presidential Spokesperson Farhatullah Babar, the meeting also decided on another incentive to the farmers by increasing the purchase price of canola from Rs 1,600 to Rs 1,800 per 40 kilograms. The Solvent Plant Association has already assured to purchase the crop at Rs 1,800 per 40 kilograms, he added. Canola cultivation would not only relieve pressure on the foreign exchange needed for import of edible oil but also improve fertility of the soil. The canola crop would be followed by cotton in February. The President also directed the Ministry of Food & Agriculture to assess agricultural losses including loss of stored seeds and other agricultural commodities due to current floods and to suggest measures so that the losses during Kharif crop could be compensated by the coming Rabi crop. The President during the meeting said that farmers of the affected areas should be provided maximum help in seeds procurement and other input for their crops. The President asked ZTBL (Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited) to work out a scheme of financial assistance to the farmers. The President also directed the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to facilitate farmers and purchase their stored seeds for sowing purposes. He desired the indigenous seeds to be accorded priority and imported seeds be used for consumption purposes only so as to avoid the delays due to quarantine issues involved in using imported wheat seed. The President said that besides assessing agricultural losses, industrial losses in the manufacturing capacity must also be determined and measures be suggested to restore capacity. He said that there was a need to set up a taskforce for suggesting measures in order to expedite restoration of infrastructure and deployment of international companies with cheap and long-term financing. The President also directed the PARC to carry out a study on the impact of climatic change in causing the recent unprecedented flood, the Spokesman added.