Rights issues in agriculture sector

Growers of the hybrid citrus fruit, kinnow, think they are getting a raw deal. Voicing their grievances Secretary General (federal) of Businessmen Panel and a former chairman of the FPCCI's standing committee on horticulture exports has pointed out that the purchase price for the produce has been reduced from last year's Rs 850 for 40 kg to Rs 600 in the current year which is unjustifiable as the prices of inputs such as DAP, urea and potash as well as diesel have soared during this period. Urea and DAP, for instance, are currently selling for Rs 1,925 and Rs 3,395, respectively, per bag as against last year's Rs 1,200 and Rs 2,380 for the same quantity. Growers certainly have genuine complaints to make. Which merits the question who is to blame? According to farmers, prices are decided by Fruit and Vegetable Exporters, Importers (PFVA) officials in cahoots with the processing plants owners. And that the export volume figures and international prices are not shared with them. In other words, growers are being cheated by other players in the field.
This mistrust between growers and exporters needs to be addressed in a manner that balances the demand of citrus farmers with those of business interests. That calls for proper streamlining of the sector's affairs. As the farmers spokesman rightly pointed out, there is need to identify growers in a database, and setting up a forum where growers, exporters and traders can air their grievances and find solutions acceptable to all. What also calls for attention are the rights of farm labour - a vast majority of them women - who work as fruit, vegetable and cotton pickers as well as for harvesting grain crops. They are the most exploited lot in the agriculture sector. Pakistan is a signatory to no less than eight ILO conventions but farm labour is not covered by the minimum wage law, nor do they have defined working hours. The labour laws such as the Workmen's Compensation Act, the Payment of Wages Act and the Provincial Employees Social Security Ordinance do not apply to them.
The reason the landless rural poor remain outside the purview of these laws is not difficult to identify. Most of those who have the power to change the conditions happen to be wielders of political influence which they use to perpetuate unfairness of the situation. Many traditional politicians in national and provincial assemblies are big land owners. They are averse to application of labour laws to the agriculture sector. The present government, claiming to be a champion of the rights of the poor and the dispossessed, needs to do right by the most downtrodden section of the populace. It must lead the way to enactment of laws that secure the rights of workers in the agriculture sector.