Chairman Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA), Engr. Javed Saleem Qureshi, Secretary General PCPA, Dr Shafiq, member executive body PCPA, Malik Aamer Aziz have hailed the decision of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani to ensure the timely payment of wheat price on its new support price. They declared it a positive step for the prosperity of agriculture.
They hoped that with the special interest of President Asif Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture & Livestock, Nazar Muhammad Gondal and Chief Minister Punjab, Mian Shahbaz Sharif in agriculture would compensate the deprivations of 70 % people related to agriculture.
While talking with Business Recorder in an interview, they said that in the 61 years history of Pakistan, no government had formed solid strategy for the development of agriculture. That's why despite of being an agriculture country and having rich fertile land, we have to import wheat every year to fulfil our requirements. With the partnership of government and pubic sector, this time bumper wheat crop is expected.
They said that despite of surety given by the Prime Minister to purchase the wheat on support price, farmers are still in a fix with the decision of the government to import 5 million tonne wheat, at a time when the harvesting season in Pakistan would start after a couple of months. Farmers are doubtful that as it happened at the time of rice and sunflower crops that farmers didn't get the support price announced by the government. That's why farmers are not using proper fertiliser because of its crisis and heavy prices.
"The decision of the government to fix the wheat target at 6.5 million tonne is a good sign but the need is that Pasco should be activated at every union council level", they added. They further said that mobile teams should be formed to solve the problems of farmers at their door step and government should also expand its storage capacity. The government has to improve the research to get better varieties of seeds that yield more production. They said that agriculture is the only way to take out the county from the crisis and to remove poverty.