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The government's decision to reduce custom duty and withholding tax on import of kitchen items to zero level has brought desired results as their prices has started moving downwards. The prices of onion and tomatoes were recorded at Rs 5 per kg in retail markets and traders forecast further decline following the arrival of new onion and tomato crop. Garlic also recorded minor decline. According to traders, the prices of onion gained abnormal heights when the supply from Balochistan was suspended on account of turmoil at Dera Bugti, resulting in blockage of the trading routes to Sindh and Punjab, which profiteers exploited.
However, the growers' organisations have expressed their deep concern over the government decision to import vegetables and meat from neighbouring countries, which included India, where 70 percent population is engaged in farming.
While reposing their confidence in the Prime Minister's economic wisdom, they have appealed that an inquiry should be ordered to find out the real causes of price hike of essential commodities in the country.
They also pointed out that Pakistan is also importing edible oil and pulses and import of meat, livestock and vegetable would further deplete our forex earnings.
The growers maintain that the government should streamline the agriculture sector by introducing a transparent agriculture policy. They added that appointments in agriculture sector on political considerations should be brought to an end, and, in future, should be done on merit.
The growers maintained that the prices of kitchen items would soon stabilise as new crops of onion, tomato and garlic has started arriving in the market.
They also demanded of the government to withdraw the decision, as it would inflict enormous losses to farming community in Sindh, a major onion-producing province of the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005

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