Cost-effective harvest: Government inefficiency keeping farmers from abandoning poppy cultivation

Locals of Mohmand Agency claim lack of power, irrigation prevents legitimate farming.

GHALLANAI:

The political administration of Mohmand Agency boasts of having destroyed poppy crops planted on more than 12,000 kanals of land in the last three weeks.

In doing so, the government has effectively ignored the plight of farmers who are now bereft of their only source of income – the illegal cash crop. Farmers claim no replacement crop scheme has been initiated by the authorities.

Bakht Zada, whose poppy fields were recently razed by the government in Yousaf Baba, told The Express Tribune growing poppy is not easy and the farmers had spent money on obtaining seed fertilisers on loan but are now left with nothing to pay back the seed dealers with.

He, along with other farmers growing poppy, said they have no other option but to grow poppy as it is the easiest and cheapest crop to harvest under the conditions.

Exploring alternatives

Malik Badri Zaman of Navi Kali, Prang Ghar said tomato is more valuable than poppy and can be grown in abundance on the hilly areas in the winters, when the rest of the country is mired in fog and cold weather. He said as a can of 10 kilogrammes of tomatoes is sold for 1,000 to 1,500 rupees, it makes it more profitable than poppy.

An official of the agency’s agriculture department in Ghallanai said tomato is grown in the area even though water supply here is inadequate. He said if Prang Ghar’s proximity to the Swat River is utilised to provide swift irrigation channels to farmers, they will be able to earn much more in harvesting legal crops.

The other major off-season crops in Pandialy and Ambar tehsils are onion and garlic which are grown in abundance on thousands of acres. The two tehsils enjoy plenty sources of water in the shape of springs and khwarhs (seasonal springs).

Hazir Jan, a resident of Ambar, said the land there is fertile and has sufficient water but the main problem is a lack of electricity, adding even though power lines have been installed, they only receive electricity for short intervals every day.

Not for profit

Farmer Malik Sahib Shah said even though these crops are found in abundance, profits from them are nonexistent as seeds, fertilisers and other items are extremely costly. He added that the transportation charges and administration’s ‘illegal’ taxes at the check posts hardly leave anything for them to take home. Shah said they would eagerly explore harvesting other crops if the government meets them halfway.

A political administration official said the government provides seeds and fertilisers to farmers to encourage them to move away from growing poppy but they continue to stick to it for greater profits.

However, local social worker Ziaullah said international donor agencies have provided special packages for farmers to the FATA Agriculture Department which distributes them to those who have no irrigated land. “Most of them are influential maliks, peace militia members or staff of the local administration,” he alleges, adding as long as this continues farmers will continue to stick to what suits them best.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 2^nd, 2014.