Key Takeaways
- Kissan Board Pakistan calls for at least 10% of federal and provincial budgets for agriculture.
- Demands support prices of Rs5,000 per 40kg for wheat and Rs700 for sugarcane.
- Warns of protests if demands are not met, citing declining profitability and infrastructure issues.
The Kissan Board Pakistan has called for a significant increase in the budget allocation for agriculture, demanding that the sector receive at least 10% of the federal and provincial budgets. This move is aimed at addressing the recurring deficits and lowering input costs faced by farmers.
The farmers' body has also proposed specific support prices, suggesting Rs5,000 per 40kg for wheat and Rs700 for sugarcane, arguing that these measures are necessary to improve the profitability of the sector. These demands come in the wake of declining returns and other challenges faced by farmers.
The Kissan Board has highlighted several issues, including urea shortages, high electricity bills, weak fruit sector returns, and the Pak-Afghan border closure, warning that protests will ensue if their demands are not met. These challenges have contributed to the overall decline in the sector's profitability.
The sector, which contributes about 22% of the GDP and supports nearly 60% of the population, currently receives only 2-3% of the budget allocations. This disparity has led to calls for a more substantial investment in agriculture to address the sector's needs.
However, the Kissan Board emphasizes that money alone will not solve the problems. They argue that a larger allocation should not be seen as an excuse for inefficient price subsidies. Instead, the focus should be on addressing structural weaknesses that depress farm productivity. This includes water management, irrigation efficiency, farm-to-market roads, storage, research, extension services, and better seed technology.
Mechanisation is identified as a central priority, with the need for shared machinery services and affordable financing to spread mechanisation without imposing a massive capital burden on farmers. The aim is to lower production costs, raise yields, and improve the quality of agricultural products.
The Kissan Board also advocates for a stronger downstream processing industry to reduce post-harvest losses, add value to farm output, and create export opportunities. Better cold storage, grading, packaging, processing, and logistics are essential to stabilize markets and ensure consistent supply.
While the sector needs investment, the Kissan Board argues that it should not be another round of costly interventions. Instead, the focus should be on infrastructure, technology, mechanisation, processing, markets, and policies that make farming competitive rather than dependent on state largesse.
The Kissan Board's demands reflect the broader challenges faced by the agriculture sector in Pakistan, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to address the sector's issues and improve the livelihoods of millions of farmers.
