Engineer Javed Saleem Qureshi has said that the government has increased the subsidy on DAP from Rs 300 to Rs 1000 but farmers have received no benefit from this subsidy, as crops are in the hands of stockist and hoarders. Only the middlemen benefit from this subsidy and they have minted about Rs 35 billion, Qureshi added while talking with Business Recorder.
Qureshi said that the farmers benefit only if the government ensured the provision of DAP on its fixed price. If the government can't do so, then the farmers should be given relief in the form of cheap electricity, diesel and other agriculture requirements he added.
Qureshi also complimented government, saying it has taken a very good step by giving a relief of 5 to 15 percent in GST that would directly benefit the farmers. He said that government should also form a Pesticide Manufacturing Policy. This year between Rs 15 billion and Rs 28 billion would be consumed within the country.
Responding to a question, Qureshi said that to control different viruses including mealy bugs, white flies and mites the agriculture department and research institutions should work together. The field staff of the agriculture department should go out on the fields to guide the cultivators, he also said. Qureshi concluded that the country is entrapped in a big economic crisis and agriculture is the only means through which the country could ride out this economic crisis.