Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) postponed its protest against rising cost of farming inputs on Wednesday and left the frustrated farmers at the mercy of the government.
The PKI Central President Khalid Mehmood Khokar on December 11 threatened that they would put up their children for sale during the protest in the federal capital on December 18 as the rising cost of inputs has made it very difficult for the farmers to earn livelihood.
PKI President Khokar in brief chat with Business Recorder said that PKI has postponed its protest till December 26 following the government's promise that the issues faced by farmers would be resolved. However, Khokar did not explain how the government will address farmers' problems and who has given him assurance in this regard.
Khokar in his video message on December 11 said that cost of production has increased by 70-80 percent but the rate of produce has not been increased at the same pace. The rate of sugarcane has hardly been increased by Rs 10 to Rs 190 from Rs 180 per 40kg but the price of sugar has increased by up to 50 percent which implies that the sugar mafia has been allowed to get benefit.
He said a group has encircled the Prime Minister due to which on-ground situation is not being brought to his notice. The country has failed to achieve cotton target and new estimates indicate that production will be only 8 million bales against the target of 15 million bales, he said.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) Khusro Bakhtiar has called a meeting on December 23 to review the fertilizer prices and availability of urea & DAP for Rabi season.
There have been concerns regarding high prices of urea and DAP, hence the meeting is convened to discuss the subject matter. Representatives of urea manufacturers and DAP importers have been asked to attend the meeting.
It is pertinent to mention here that on the recommendation of Bakhtiar, the prime minister has already established a cabinet committee comprising adviser to prime minister on commerce, textile, industry & production, federal minister for NFS&R, federal minister for planning & development and special assistant to the prime minister on Petroleum Division to review fertilizer prices as well as their availability.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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