According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan 2013-14, the agriculture sector contributes about 20 per cent to the GDP.

According to the survey, agriculture growth has declined by 1.5pc, short of its target of 3.6pc by growing only 2.12pc.

The low agricultural growth also means problems in demand for industrial goods and other services and supplying raw materials to the agriculture-based industry, probably the cotton textile industry, which is the largest sub-sector of the manufacturing sector.

According to the survey, even last year’s growth target was missed. It was cotton, gram and oilseed that shrank sizably and impacted the overall agricultural growth.

There is a strong need to invest more in agriculture, especially for improving the methods of cultivation.

Also, agricultural loaning to farmers needs to be simplified.

Khan Faraz
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, June 17th, 2014