FAISALABAD, May 28: The local farmers’ association has urged the federal government to launch a comprehensive policy for training farmers on latest techniques of cultivation and certified seeds of all crops so that they can get reasonable returns of their crops.

Talking to newsmen on Tuesday, association President Tahir Saeed said growers had been facing financial problems due to escalating prices of fertilizers and other products.

He said shortage of irrigation water had forced scores of farmers to purchase water from the owners of privately installed tubewells at exorbitant rates.

If the government failed to announce a relief package to farmers, he said they would be forced to stop cultivating cash crops.

Mr Saeed urged the Punjab government to streamline the functioning of market committees to facilitate the growers and commission agents in their respective areas.

He demanded that the market committees’ functionaries should be directed to evolve farmer-friendly policies so that they could earn reasonable prices of their produce. He said the commission agents should not be allowed to fleece farmers.

He demanded the government to direct the Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan and other financial institutions to reduce mark-up on agricultural loans for providing some relief to farmers.

ARRANGEMENTS: Faisalabad district council expressed satisfaction over the arrangements made by local civil defence organization and other agencies concerned to meet any emergency in case of war.