BALOCHISTAN’S agricultural budget has increased by 7pc to Rs6.802bn for FY16. Of this, Rs1.5bn has been allocated for phase II of the ‘Green Balochistan’ project, Rs3.5bn for farm mechanisation and Rs1bn for setting up an agricultural university. The remaining amount has been earmarked for miscellaneous expenses, the details of which are not known.

Separately, the provincial government has enhanced the FY16 allocation for livestock sector by 10pc to Rs2.810bn and for fisheries by 13pc to Rs619m, according to budget documents.

The financing of all the three sectors — agriculture, livestock and fisheries — would come both from the revenue budget and the annual development plan, provincial advisor on finance Mir Khalid Langov said during his budget speech.

But Balochistan government officials say that these sectors could have got larger share had it not been for high spending for law and order, energy and social sectors.

Still, they point out, that allocations for agriculture, livestock and fisheries are in addition to the funds earmarked for subsidy on purchase of crops from farmers. Such funds have been put under a different head of expenses, they say.

The Balochistan government’s plan to establish an agricultural university is the most important move as farm research and education are becoming more vital in boosting crops’ and animals’ productivity

The Balochistan government’s plan to establish an agricultural university is the most important move as farm research and education are becoming more vital in boosting crops’ and animals’ productivity.

“We need to move forward from being ‘the fruit basket of Pakistan’ to a major contributor in the country’s overall agricultural economy including food and non-food crops, livestock and fisheries,” says an official of Balochistan agriculture department. He adds that higher allocations for livestock and fisheries are also expected to take care of such perennial issues like animal mortality, low animals’ per-head milk and less meat productivity and a missing link between fish hauling and its proper processing and marketing.

The KP government announced 47 agricultural development schemes at a total cost of Rs1.587bn as part of the annual development plan. The announcement was made by provincial finance minister Mr Muzaffar Said in his budget speech.

Some important development projects on which the government will work in FY16 include setting up of fruit orchards on 3,980 acres of land, distribution of 1,65,000 olive plants among farmers, distribution among growers of certified seeds of wheat and maize, and establishment of 86 tunnel farms for growing out-of-season vegetables.

Other important projects worth mentioning are: installation of eight dehydrators for drying up fruits and vegetables, provision of subsidy to farmers for laser technology levelers, establishment of a new hatchery for fish and prawn, revamping or restoration of 30 veterinary hospitals and setting up of two animal research centres.

Growers say the new budget does not promise anything for progressive farmers of maize, sets aside no major fund for cultivation of tea and envisages no allocation for specialised research on crop productivity.

Like Sindh and Balochistan, the KP government too has earmarked much larger sums of money on law and order, irrigation, health and education sectors. But unlike Balochistan where Rs1bn has been set aside for establishing an agricultural university, KP has made no move to promote agricultural education as well. No initiative has been taken to promote honey production and improving the supply-chain of dry fruits processing and packaging.

The KP officials say some projects of irrigation department and a couple of others of energy department (including the ones related to solar powered-tube wells or water harvesting) are expected to benefit agriculture in multiple ways. And a Rs3.6bn two-year separate food safety programme would support farmers by ensuring availability of certified seeds and proper training to growers.

Except for Punjab which has doubled its agriculture budget over the last two years; other provinces can be seen struggling in promoting agriculture.

Published in Dawn, Economic & Business, June 29th, 2015

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