Farmer associations are expecting the government in waiting of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) to declare agriculture emergency to enhance sector's contribution to the economy and ensure food security in the country. As part of the agriculture emergency, representatives of leading farmers associations have proposed that the country's farm sector be provided incentives comparable to those available in regional countries.
President Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) Khalid Mehmood Khokhar while talking to Business Recorder said that the PKI has proposed different measures to strengthen the sector that remained almost neglected during the tenure of the previous government.
He said, "We have suggested that agriculture emergency be announced to boost our economy; and a level playing field with neighboring countries like India be the over arching objective envisaging cheap electricity, diesel, fertilizer, seed, agriculture machinery and support price for crops."
Khalid said that the PKI has also suggested better use of available water with better management through changing crop patterns as well as zero agriculture trade with India till a level playing field is provided to local farmers.
Eliminating the middle man and bringing down the cost of production was proposed by the PKI to the incoming government, and the need to accord agriculture equal priority with trade and industry was suggested. Loans should be given to the farm sector according to land value and not on basis of cost of crops.
The PKI president said that other measures including introduction of new agro marketing system be developed to take care of producers and consumers like in the West. Food security and cheap raw materials for industry can only be managed by reducing cost of production, encouraging small businesses, and developing entrepreneurship in agriculture and livestock sector through cooperative societies.
He said that commercial attaches should be appointed on merit and be made more efficient and effective to boost exports. President Sindh Abadkar Ittehad (SAI) Nawaaz Zubair Talpur said that keeping in view reputation of PTI chief Imran Khan, farmers in Sindh are expecting that the government in waiting will introduce farmer friendly policies to boost agriculture sector. "The PTI chief visited Hyderabad three months before the election and we informed him about major problems being faced by farmers," he said, adding that the main issues include support price of sugarcane, shortage of water, distribution of bardana and increasing role of middle man.
Talpur said that the upcoming government must ensure judicious distribution of water among provinces. He said that the new government should devise a plan to end role of middle man and provide direct market access to farmers. "SAI has also suggested to provide subsidies to farmers like in India as currently per bag price of urea in India is Rs 470 while its price in Pakistan is Rs 1550 per bag.
Arbab Jamil, President Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Itteha-e-Zamindaran (KIZ), said that the incoming government should take effective measures for reducing cost of production and eliminate role of middle man to provide maximum return to farmers. "Main cash crops in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province are sugarcane and tobacco and PIT government must fix support price of main cash crops like in India", he said.
According to the PTI's manifesto, it will increase farmer's profitability and boost growth. It will optimize existing subsidy programmes, reduce input costs, transform agriculture produce markets, improve access to finance, champion mechanization and incentivize value-addition for exports.
The PTI plans to expand existing warehouses and create new ones along with a grading system in key locations across Pakistan under public-private partnership. The PTI has also promised to further deregulate the seed market apart from few commercially important seeds.
The party intends to encourage private banks to roll out digital loans for quick access with easier terms of repayment and take the already working warehouse receipt financing system to a new level. The PTI also promised that it will boost the livestock sector and make Pakistan self-sufficient in milk and milk-based products, expand meat production for domestic consumption and exports and ensure that small livestock farmers are the primary beneficiaries. As per PTI's manifesto, it will build dams and solve the country's water crisis with immediate steps to conserve and improve management of water.