The farming community is uncertain over the incentives announced in the federal budget for the financial year 2004-05, as the government has not incorporated those proposals, which were necessary to enhance agriculture production and improve living standard of farmers.
Chairman Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA) Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry expressed these views while addressing a press conference here on Wednesday.
The PCPA, during its recent meeting reviewed in detail the pros and cons of the budget, and found that though some positive steps have been taken for the uplift of agriculture sector, yet the government has to do much more to enhance agriculture production, he added.
The government has not provided protection to the local pesticide manufacturers by levying 20 percent import duty. It is long standing demand of PCPA that quality control boards be set up at provincial level to ensure quality pesticides, but no step has been taken in this regard.
Appreciating the abolition of duty on the import of agriculture machinery, he said the government must ensure its implementation in true spirit, and also include the pesticides spray machines in the list of agriculture machinery.