24 January 2004	Saturday	01 Zilhaj 1424

LAHORE, Jan 23: The Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA) on Friday expressed concern over last week's decision by the government to allow only importers market pesticides.

PCPA Chairman Ejaz Ahmad Chaudhry told newsmen the move would cause price hike of farm inputs besides triggering the collapse of the 20-year old local industry.

Nearly 100 local firms would not be able to continue their business as a result of this decision. It would add to already high unemployment figure in the country. Over 3,000 agriculture graduates were currently attached with the business, he claimed.

The local packaging industry, involving thousands of people, would also be adversely affected. "Only multinational companies will benefit from the government decision and it would also encourage monopoly trend in the business."

The PCPA chief was of the opinion that the decision would also cause substantial price hike, pushing the farmers community further down the poverty line.

He alleged that bureaucrats in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock had become part of import mafia and toeing the line of multinational pesticides firms.

He lamented that the government was bulldozing local pesticides industry that had progressed in the recent years and was in the process of establishing local formulation plants. He pointed out that without the establishment of local pesticides formulation and manufacturing industry, the agriculture sector would be at the receiving end in the post-WTO era.

The PCPA chairman urged the government to prepare a comprehensive pesticides policy and get it approved from the parliament after a detailed discussion instead of taking ad hoc measures.