Fertiliser subsidy: Centre, provinces on same page

Dar urges all stakeholders to support agriculture sector

KARACHI: Finance Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday urged all provinces to continue their cooperation in the issue of providing fertiliser subsidy, in a bid to support the agriculture sector.

Dar had announced massive reduction in prices of fertiliser - urea and DAP - and urged all provinces to contribute in helping farmers who have suffered through the contraction in agriculture sector.

The budget measures are part of the government’s efforts in helping the sector that employs roughly 40% of the country’s workforce and contributes around one-fifth to GDP.

Dar said this during a meeting which he convened to discuss the modalities for implementation of relief measures announced for the agriculture sector.

The minister said that the government had given due priority to the agriculture sector and hoped that the measures will be complemented by the provincial governments.

He referred to the decrease in fertiliser prices and said that it was made possible after lengthy negotiations with the manufacturers, according to a press release of finance ministry.

The provincial ministers welcomed the measures announced by the federal government and said that they were equally keen to provide support to the farmers who had been facing a difficult situation due to falling commodity prices and high cost of inputs, the release said.

It was decided that the subsidy would be provided through a joint federal and provincial package for farmers.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2016.

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