Food matters NA committee against increasing tractor prices

Urges govt to help farmers reduce cost of production.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research on Monday recommended to the federal government to not increase the prices of tractor till 2018 in a bid to keep the cost of production in check.

The recommendation came at the meeting of the NA standing committee, which met here to discuss the issues of the farmers.

The meeting was attended by officials of the Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation Limited (Passco), tractor manufacturers and Ministry of National Food Security and Research.

MNA Rao Muhammad Ajmal said that manufacturers not only increase the prices of their products, but also produce sub-standard tractors, which results in heavy losses for the farmers.

Additionally, Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research Muhammad Hashim Popalzai proposed to cut 10% general sales tax for local manufacturers of tractors so that it has a trickle-down effect on farmers.

He further recommended that there should be zero duty imports on used tractors to break the monopoly of local manufacturers.

Passco’s case

The committee also discussed issues related to Passco and members said that the organisation is not meeting farmers’ needs in the issue of wheat procurement.

Managing Director Passco Captain (Retd) Tariq Masud said that there is need for a comprehensive policy for the procurement and disposal of wheat.  He said that the role of Passco is only limited to procurement and supply. “Therefore, it has nothing to do with the import and export of the product.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 26^th, 2015.

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