The President of Mango Growers Association Pakistan, Zahid Hussain Gardezi, has said that the Government of Pakistan is genuinely concerned over falling foreign exchange reserves in the country.
In this context, he said, the advisor to Prime Minister on finance Shaukat Tarin, to appease International Monetary Fund to seek finances for fast track recovery of the country's economy, has dedicated his intention to tax agriculture sector which is already limping for survival.
Perhaps the worst has yet to come for Pakistan, he said, as the storm of unrest is brewing in the rural majority due to dwindling water reserves, rivers are blocked by distant neighbours, and there is grave crisis in cotton marketing as more than 900 ginning factories have closed down. The extended hours of electricity shutdown and the continued dilapidated state of fertilisers supply system is going unnoticed.
He said that as the sowing season of wheat crop has set in, all the rudimentary obstructions have surfaced to depress and demoralise the farming community. He said that with classical representation of big farmers in the assemblies belonging to all political parties one can safely say that they have miserably failed to highlight the grievances and problems of agriculture and farmers, and have done nothing for the commoner in trade as the entire agriculture system is under duress.
He said that policies made for agriculture had never been practicable for the rural sector as one still witnesses stark difference in village and rural domains are deprived of basic amenities as compared to the ever extending urban housing schemes and facility centres.
Agriculturists do not qualify for any financing by banks and DFIs, if the profession on loan application form is shown as agriculturist. The advent of 'Green Revolution', 'White Revolution' and many such sundry phrases have added insult to the common farmer who is being held at ransom by 'Patwaris', 'Thanedars' and the 'Middleman'.
He said that this voiceless majority needs to awaken and organise to be heard instead of dying in frustration as pawns of warlords in trade. He said that though it is said that the Government is of people's choices yet there is a need to apprise the hierarchy about the ground realities and the impediments in agriculture sector.
He said tat Pakistan can emerge from the global crisis of food scarcity if the toiling farmers are heard and facilitated. Zahid said that all what is said for the betterment of agriculture has never been done. The derelict infrastructure and the state of rural vastness depict the grave neglect committed by transient government which is devoid of even the minute basic facilitation. He said that the farmers and growers need to raise their voice in unison for their deprived shares of development to make Pakistan strong and safe.
He said regardless of the provincial boundaries, farmers all over the country have identical problems. He said that Pakistan can become 'Global Granary' at times when world is worried about food security, "for that we need to prioritise agriculture and have the right mindset.
He advocated the need of policy makers to interact with stakeholders and growers' associations to frame fruitful policies for the agriculture sector. He demanded that for rapid transfer of technology to the agriculture sector at the ground level, the distribution of rebated tractors and other mechanical agriculture implements should be extended to all interested farmers having land holdings below 10 hectares instead of limited benefit through balloting.
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