Rabi Festival: Farmers being exploited by middlemen, says UAF VC

Calls for setting up markets for small animals to boost productivity

FAISALABAD: Farming community is being exploited at the hands of the middlemen. The farmers must be paid well for the hard work in order to ensure food security in the country.

University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said this while distributing prizes to the winners of the Goat Milking Contest which was held at the varsity on Monday. The event was part of the Rabi Festival and aimed to encourage farmers to increase productivity.

The first prize was bagged by Nagri Beetal Goat owned by Shoukat Ali from Jaranwala which gave 7.99 litres of milk. The second prize was achieved by Anwarul Haq’s Beetal Goat with 7.91litres of milk. The third prize was awarded to Nagri Beetal Goat owned by Chaudhry Anwar with 6.67 litres of milk.

In the beauty contest, Nagri Beetal Goat of Muhammad Ali from Bahawalnagar got the first prize.



While addressing the participants, UAF vice-chancellor said, “If we fail to provide the facilities to the farming community, we will not be able to ensure food security in the country.”

He maintained the government was bringing reforms in the agriculture policy to address the problems of the farming community. Iqrar Ahmad said, “It is a matter of concern the farmers do not want their sons to become farmers.”  He said the markets for small animals, including goats needed to be established to boost productivity.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2016.