Farmers demand govt support to reduce agri-produce import

Govt's misplaced priorities lamented as lobbying group highlights lack of support to farmers

HYDRABAD:

The Sindh Abadgar Ittehad on Thursday condemned the government's failure to regulate the agriculture sector for the benefit of the nation.

The Sindh Abadgar Ittehad, a farmers' lobbying group, said on Thursday that billions of dollars are being spent on imports of agricultural commodities due to the government's misplaced priorities.

"If the government had supported the agriculture sector and the farmers, the country would not have been at the brink of default today," said SAI President Nawab Zubair Talpur at a group meeting in Hyderabad on Thursday.

He said farmers could produce enough staple grain and essential commodities like wheat, rice, sugarcane, vegetables, and oil seed to feed the nation. He added that the livestock sector has all the resources to meet the milk and butter requirements.

On behalf of Ittehad, he demanded immediate enforcement of the agricultural sector emergency in Pakistan, under which the government will have to subsidise the farmers and cut the unjustified hike in the prices of the inputs. "The government needs to end the black marketing of seeds, fertiliser and other inputs," he emphasised.

The Ittehad's president claimed that the manufacturers and dealers are not complying with the government's fixed fertiliser rates. "We have written letters to the agriculture department to take action, but nothing has happened."

Talpur reiterated that the Sindh government, in October 2022, announced a Rs4,000 per maund wheat procurement price, which is still awaited after the passing of four months. He demanded immediate issuance of the notification as only a month was left before the start of the wheat harvest season.

Talpur pointed out that the cotton sowing season is around the corner. According to him, many dealers are selling uncertified cotton seeds as the government has failed to regulate the market. Spurious seeds destroyed crops last year, causing substantial losses to the farmers besides necessitating higher cotton imports.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2023.