'US help not beneficial to trade normalisation with India'

Growers said the support of USA would not be beneficial for trade normalisation for Pakistan with India, unless government of Pakistan would extend sufficient subsidy on agriculture sector as neighbouring country is doing. President Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA), Dr Syed Nadeem Qamar said this while speaking in the meeting through video conference held here at SCA where other chapters including Karachi, Sukkur and Sanghar of Chamber also attended meeting through video conference.
"Agriculture products including electricity, fertilizer and other products are heavily being subsidised with one percent of GDP by Indian government where even Pakistan is not providing sufficient subsidy on the sector," he said adding so Pakistan farmers would not compete with Indian farmers. He said USA also plays its effective role in convincing the IMF not to object over proposal of extending subsidy on agriculture sector by Pakistan government.
Aside from this, the trade route of Hyderabad-Khokharapar-Munabao would be feasible for Sindh growers and farmers rather than Wagah route which would be more costly and time-taking, he said. Moreover, there are many non-tariff barriers including police reporting in India which are also causing many problems for farmers to trade with neighbouring country, he said adding such barriers should be removed which would help to scale up more trade. It is easy to get the visa of America rather than India where there is very complex process and it should be made easy and simple, President SCA said. There are many things including languages and culture being found common in both countries and it would be plus point for growers and farmers of Sindh, he said. General Secretary SCA, Nabi Bux Sathio said Pakistan is producing huge quantity of vegetables and fruits in southern part of province Sindh especially in Mirpurkhas about 150-km away from border of India.
"Apart from this, such huge quantity could be exported easily through Hyderabad-Khokharapar-Munabao route," he said. Vice President of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture of Upper Sindh, Ghulam Hassan Chachar said in Sukkur Region in the province of Sindh, there is huge potential of exporting dates across the world.
He said there is a need of co-operation at regional and international levels to enhance the exports across the world and earn more revenue for country. Speaking on the occasion, Senior Economic Officer at US Consulate Karachi, Richard Bakewell, said United States of America is supporting Pakistan for trade normalisation with landlocked country India. If the trade is normalised with India, it would not only benefit India's economy but also Pakistan's economy, he said. Officer at US Consulate said it would also enhance the trade between both the countries as the peoples would be major beneficiaries from this trade.