www.thefinancialdaily.com  400,000 T urea will be sourced Gilani chairs ECC meeting PM orders import and smooth supply of sugar OKs restoration of Pakistan Oilseed Development Board  Sovereign Guarantee for PQ expansion   5pc duty on import of pigment/acrylic thickener  l 25pc RD on export of aluminum/copper scrap ISLAMABAD:  Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday directed the concerned authorities to ensure implementation of Cabinet decision regarding import of sugar to ensure smooth supply of sweetener in April. He said this while chairing, Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) meeting. ECC was informed that sufficient stocks of sugar are available and the government would be able to purchase it at the most competitive rates which would save Pakistan $180 million. Committee, in principle, approved the import of 0.4 million tonnes of urea through TCP and its distribution by NFC/NFML for Kharif 2010. The ECC also decided that urea up to 0.1 million tonnes out of a total 0.4 million tonnes (approved) would be imported by TCP through Karachi port immediately. The ECC also endorsed its earlier decision of restoring Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB).  While considering incentive package for investment in Petrochemical Complex Naphtha Cracker (NC), Polyethylene (PE) Polylene (PP), the ECC allowed extension in the financial closure for a period of 12 months with effect from date of approval.  Regarding deepening and widening of Port Qasim Navigation Channel, the ECC decided to accord approval for Sovereign Guarantee enabling loan financing for the project. In the light of recommendations by Tariff Anomalies Committee, the ECC approved imposing 5 per cent regulatory duty on the import of pigment thickener and acrylic thickener. In order to discourage export of waste/scrap of aluminium/copper and promote  export of value-added products manufactured with locally available raw materials, the ECC approved imposing 25 per cent RD on the export of waste and scrap of aluminium and copper along with bars, rods, ingots, slabs and billets, etc made of these materials. During the meeting, Ministry of Industries and Production delivered a Presentation on the National Fertilizer Strategy.  The ECC set up a Ministerial Committee to finalise recommendations.  While discussing post Balancing, Modernisation and Replacement (BMR) concession for feed gas for M/s Pak American Fertiliser Limited and allocation of 16 mmcfd gas from SNGPL system for Pak Arab Fertiliser Limited, the ECC accorded approval to various recommendations of the ECC's Committee on this issue.   While considering Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Minfa) report about the proposed mechanism for buying rice directly from the small farmers, the ECC directed State Bank of Pakistan to ensure availability of Commodity Finance by the consortium of banks to enable PASSCO to start physical operation from 1st Oct in Sindh and 1st Nov in Punjab. ECC stressed that limit on maximum quantity of rice to be accepted from a single farmer up to 500 maunds should be strictly enforced.-Agencies