National Assembly Standing Committee on Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) has underlined the need of more research in the sector not only to increase productivity but also to slash the cost of inputs.
The meeting with Makhdoom Ahmed Alam Anwar in the chair submitted seven points to be incorporated in the upcoming federal budget. The meeting recommended liberal regime for the wheat import and export, abolition of GST on pesticides, 50 percent waiving off electricity charges for Kharif crops, import of re-conditioned tractors, revival of rebate on diesel, market incentives for producers and soft loans from Zari Tarqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL).
The agriculture land should not be used for buildings or housing societies, they further demanded. Chairman of the Committee, Makhdoom Ahmed Alam Anwar further said that the policy implementation would not only ensure the sustainable growth but also increase agricultural production.
He also regretted that Punjab Food Department instead of ensuring more wheat procurement was given the task of procuring only limited gunny bags.
The meeting was informed that current varieties of the wheat had a potential of 30 million tons of wheat production but it could be achieved by better management.
Regretting only 17 percent budgetary allocation for research in Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Chairman Standing Committee directed the Council to earmark more funds for the research-related activities to achieve the targets both in growth and production.
Chairman PARC admitted that board of governors of PARC is powerless and all the allocations were made under the directives of the Ministry of Finance.
Out of Rs 540 million budget allocation for PARC, Rs 500 million is the expenditure of the institution while the remaining Rs 40 million is for carrying out research. Chairman PARC requested the committee to increase the endowment fund of the council up to Rs 5 billion for carrying out research related activities.
Secretary Minfal Ismail Qureshi told the meeting that government has allocated Rs 2.75 billion for the next five year to carry out research and it would be increased later.
Earlier, sharing their views, Riaz Pirzada, MNA underlined the maximum allocation of funds for research in livestock and fisheries with attention towards the high value addition products.
Pirzada, who attended the meeting on special invitation, said that the government should focus on reducing the cost of inputs by providing alternate sources of energy.
Another member of the committee suggested provision of LPG/CNG fitted tractors to reduce the cost of inputs and also subsidy for wheat growing areas.
Rao Ajmal, another member from treasury benches demanded provision of "coloured diesel" to the wheat-growing farmers. One fourth of the land should be reserved for forests and livestock and farmers doing so should be given incentives, Rao opined.
Mazhar Qureshi, MNA also demanded of the government not to permit setting up of sugar mills in the cotton growing areas.
Khawaja Shoaib, a progressive farmer from Multan, underlined that the farmers did not want any subsidy but they wanted only level-playing field in the sector to compete the regional farming countries.
The subsidy on urea is not for the farmers but it is only for importers. Similarly, support price of wheat is not for the growers but it is either pocketed by millers or middleman, Khawaja observed.
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