How can a person with low salary afford the luxury of fruits in Pakistan?
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is an agricultural country with fertile lands, sufficient water resources, generally favourable ecology and hardworking farm labour. But due to thoughtless planning and mismanagement of agricultural resources, this beautiful country has become food deficient and people are seen starving even in the rural areas.
In agricultural settings, food and fodder are sufficiently available to meet human and animal needs locally. It is thus very strange that Pakistan imports vegetables and fruits from neighbouring countries.
In urban areas, the situation is even worse as prices of foodstuffs are skyrocketing. Vegetables and fruits are now beyond the reach of middle class families. In Islamabad, vegetables are being sold at exorbitant prices. Prices of cucumber and potatoes, which are poor man’s vegetables, are pretty much beyond the poor man’s reach. Weekly markets have also failed to be of any benefit to low-income groups and pensioners.
How can a person with low salary afford the luxury of fruits in Pakistan? Unfortunately, rulers are insensitive to this basic human need.
Food security is as important as border security for the people of Pakistan. A badly fed population cannot contribute to the defence of the country. There is a dire need to control the prices of fruits and vegetables.
Asghar Mahmood
Published in The Express Tribune, May 22nd, 2014.
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