Onion growers strongly resented the government decision to import vegetable - onion, garlic and tomatoes - from neighbouring countries at zero level custom duty and withholding tax, at a time when Sindh is expecting a bumper onion crop. The growers fear that the import of vegetable particularly onion would adversely affect already fragile agro economy of the province, which is a major grower of onion in the country.
They quoted the statistics released by the Sindh agri. extension department, indicating that an area of 54,450 hectare is under onion cultivation with expected production of 0.661 million metric tonnes (around 50,000 tonnes more as compared to last year's production).
The growers attributed the price hike to political turmoil in Balochistan particularly Bugti area, which inordinately delayed the arrival of Balochistan onion crop in Sindh and Punjab's markets. But now with the arrival of Sindh onion crop in the market, the prices indicate a downward trend, and currently the onion had shed Rs 5 to 7 per kg in retail market.
They said that import of vegetable is against farming community engaged in boosting farm exports. The growers appealed to the Prime Minister and minister for commerce, to reconsider import of vegetables from neighbouring countries. If not withdrawn, the decision will cause severe economic blow to provincial agriculture sector, which has already suffered production losses to the tune of billion of rupees during past four years, due to poor availability of water and long dry spell.
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