KARACHI: The Sindh government has demanded the federal government to announce waiver of agricultural loans and taxes to farmers. Sindh Agriculture Minister Muhammad Ismail Rahu said Sindh government has declared 20 districts as calamity affected areas, and it will take all measures for rehabilitation of farmers, and provincial agricultural taxes of affected crops will be waived.

He said due to wrong policy of the federation, the agricultural sector is already under severe pressure, the skyrocketing prices of fertilizers, pesticides, diesel, electricity and gas have made agriculture impossible, the country's farmers are becoming indebted.

Ismail Rahu said the prime minister should announce waiver of agricultural loans and taxes to the farmers of the districts affected by the recent rains in Sindh. The minister said rice, sugarcane and orchards have also been severely damaged. All agricultural loans of the Agricultural Development Bank and other Commercial Banks should be forgiven by 2020.

Ismail Rahu demanded from the federation that the old agricultural loans of the farmers should be given a one-year waiver; new loans should be given to the farmers without interest and on easy terms. Criticizing the prime minister, he said what has Imran Khan given to the people apart from crises, troubles, epidemics and disasters?

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020