Govt must show strong political will to revive agri sector: expert

LAHORE: The government must demonstrate a strong commitment and political will to revitalize Pakistan’s agricultural sector, which is on the verge of total collapse. Reviving this sector is essential for ensuring a robust economy in Pakistan.

Chairman of Four Brothers and an agricultural expert Engr. Jawed Saleem Qureshi said “During the late 1980s, China was behind Pakistan in agricultural development due to fragmented land holdings. Pakistan faces a similar situation today, with official sources indicating that 87 per cent of farming is conducted by landowners with less than 10 acres each. China addressed this issue by consolidating small landholdings to create large-scale farms, boosting production through collective and collaborative efforts.”

Pakistan’s cash crop, cotton, which once peaked at 14 million bales, has now dwindled to just 3.8–4 million bales. Public sector research institutes have not introduced a single crop variety that could be credited with significantly boosting production. The only exceptions to this trend have been rice and maize, which saw impressive gains due to the hybrid seeds introduced by the private sector.

Engr. Jawed Saleem Qureshi further stated that after 25 years of effort, they had developed a new Raya seed capable of producing 25–30 maund per acre, compared to the current varieties that yield only 8–9 maund per acre.

Speaking to a group of journalists, Qureshi emphasized that while Pakistan has the potential to produce more, realizing this potential requires comprehensive reforms in the agricultural sector. He proposed the adoption of cooperative farming, suggesting that cooperative and corporate farming should be implemented immediately to ensure the availability of quality agricultural inputs at farmers’ doorsteps. He explained that when an individual farmer needs inputs, he must go to the market, whereas a whole village collectively requiring inputs in bulk quantity would attract companies to deliver goods and services directly. This approach would ensure that farmers receive quality inputs at lower prices, enabling them to sell their produce profitably.

Qureshi also pointed out that farmers involved in cooperative farming would receive better prices for their products. He recommended launching this model in 100–200 villages initially. Additionally, he stressed the need for farm mechanization to increase yields per acre, suggesting that it could help maximize production on cooperative farms. He noted that while China did not provide subsidies for farm machinery, the Pakistani government could stimulate the sector by declaring machinery imports zero-rated for five years.

Education for farmers was another area Qureshi highlighted and proposed that crops like onions and cotton could be cultivated through intercropping, which would boost onion production and reduce the import bill. He emphasized the importance of early cotton sowing, particularly due to climate change, and shared that his company’s experimental farms had successfully demonstrated cotton-onion intercropping with increased boll weight.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024