LAHORE: Agriculture Republic Co-founder Aamer Hayat Bhandara commenting on the prevailing situation of agricultural sector in Punjab regretted that there was no minister in the caretaker set-up to head this most essential segment.

“Though the interim government had announced special initiatives for the agricultural sector worth Rs 47.6 billion for the next four months, there is no one to head these interventions in Punjab,” said Bhandara while talking to the Business Recorder on Monday.

He said the current four months were crucial as Khareef crops were in the sowing stage. Rice, one of the most important crops feeding both the domestic and export sectors, was being sown and most of the area under it would also be harvested during these 120 days.

In such a situation, there should have been some experienced person having the know-how of the latest techniques such as precision and digital agriculture. So, he could deliver through the introduction of such interventions which could bring down the cost of production and enhance per-acre productivity, Aamer thought.

He further said that initiatives announced by the federal government were also executed through the provincial governments. He said agricultural research and food security was the federal government's responsibility, but any intervention announced by it was carried out by the local governments.

He also praised the federal budget for the year 2023-34 and said it had played a positive role by allocating money for the good steps and now the ball was in the court of Punjab that how it implements these interventions.

Bhandara also asked the provincial government to take notice of the protest by the pesticide dealers as cotton, rice and many other Khareef crops were in a crucial period where they needed the inputs to save these from different diseases and help boost their production.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023