LAHORE: Most of farmers who were declared winners in balloting for the provision of subsidized agriculture implements are still awaiting delivery by manufacturers and distributors amid sowing season of major crops.

The Punjab agriculture department claims it has so far delivered not more than 850 implements in the first six months of the year 2016-17 against the target of around 8,800 implements to be distributed in over 2,300 rural union councils of the province by the end of current fiscal year.

The Punjab government, under the Kissan Package 2016-17, had allocated Rs1.16 billion for sharing 50 per cent cost of each implement with the applicant to promote major crops like cotton, wheat, sugarcane and rice.

Under the scheme, two to five implements per set have been offered to farmers depending upon their need in current year as compared to four and five implements per set given as of June 30, 2016.

“I had deposited Rs211,000 to the distributor in September 2016 to get a set of four implements, but I am still waiting for the delivery by the authorized dealer who claims the company has yet to manufacture the implements,” said Tahir Khan of Kehror Pakka tehsil of Lodhran.

Khan, who is a small farmer and got his name in balloting, says the delay is either on the part of the government to release 50pc subsidy or the manufacturer has failed to meet the demand as farmers were assured to supply implements within three months of the approval.

“I have missed the valuable use of implements like Disc Harrow, Rotavator, Chisel Plough and Rabi Drill for wheat sowing”, Khan said and added that cases of other applicants were pending with the district agriculture officer concerned.

Punjab Agriculture director-general (Extension) Dr Anjum Ali Buttar says the process of delivery of sets of implements is gaining momentum in all districts.

He claims the delay in deliveries in some areas is because of the scrutiny process to check quality of implements, certain complaints of defects, behavior of manufacturers, third-party audit and presence of 45 manufacturers only in 12 districts.

The DG says in some districts defected implements are also slowing the delivery process and the department will blacklist those manufacturing companies which fail to meet required specifications and standards.

Buttar says the farmers have got 850 implements in districts like Faisalabad, Okara, Gujranwala, Sialkot and Multan, claiming the department will be able to deliver 8,800 implements by the end of June 2017.

Published in Dawn January 28th, 2017