ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday directed the food security ministry to resolve problems being faced by farmers by devising a mechanism in consultation with the provinces.

During a meeting with a delegation of Kisan Ittehad, the prime minister said the government was building a partnership with China to import latest agriculture technology to enhance the yield.

“A mechanism should be devised in consultation with provincial governments to resolve problems of farmers on a priority basis,” Mr Khan said, according to a press release issued by the Prime Minister Office.

He said the government would take all-out measures to facilitate the farmers as development of the agriculture sector was among its priorities.

Prime Minister Khan said that despite tough economic conditions owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, the government had given a Rs50 billion package for development of the agriculture sector.

The delegation comprised Kisan Ittehad president Khalid Mehmood Khokhar, secretary general Chaudhry Ihsan and provincial president Rizwan Iqbal.

Minister for National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam and chairperson of the Special Committee on Agriculture Production Shanzana Gulzar also attended the meeting.

The delegation, while lauding the prime minister’s keen interest in promotion of the agriculture sector, apprised him of the farmers’ issues, including power tariff for tubewells, fertilisers’ prices, availability of quality seeds and crop insurance.

The prime minister directed the ministry concerned to look into the farmers’ demand related to the power tariff of tubewells.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2020