LAHORE: Progressive farmers fear the country may face food security issue as growers are turning away from sowing wheat, the main staple crop, due to high in-put costs, low profits, hoarding etc.

“Due to more savings in other crops, expected reduction in grain production, black marketing and/or non-availability of fertilisers, as well as high cost of production, are pushing the farming community away

from wheat and towards more profitable crops,” says Mian Umair Masood, president of the Kissan Ittehad Pakistan (KIP).

“The area under wheat is shrinking and this will lead to food security issue in the country,” he adds.

Since the responsibility for ensuring national food security and agricultural research lies with the federal government and the departments of agriculture falling under the provincial governments, it is imperative that all relevant authorities sit together and chalk out a plan of action, in consultation with farmers, who understand the current challenges, to overcome the crisis, he says. Otherwise, he warns, the situation may worsen next year and the country’s economy will be affected by the food cost as increasing import bill will exhaust the foreign reserves.

Wheat sowing declines

Mr Masood demands the government to abolish “illegal” taxes included in the agricultural tube wells’ electricity bills, supply cheap di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) and Urea fertilisers, and check their sale in the black market to bring down the cost of production for the farmers.

He also seeks what support price according to the world market rates.

The KIP head suggests that instead of offering subsidies the government should reduce prices of fertilisers, seed and pesticides to ensure direct benefit to the farmers instead of fertiliser and seed industry.

He says the support prices of crops should be fixed before the time of cultivation, giving the farming community ample time to decide which crop to grow.

He also seeks soft loans for the purchase of agricultural machinery. “Modern technology should be made available to the farmers on easy terms.”

The farmers outstanding dues towards sugar mills should be recovered at the earliest, whereas the sugarcane market should be freed by eliminating the middleman (arhti) and commission culture.

The farmers leader demands technical support and investment in installing solar tube wells, bio-gas plants and developing irrigation system on modern lines to increase the per acre time of canal water supply.

He also demands a ban on the sale of agricultural land for housing schemes, besides provision of crop and livestock insurance, to bring stability to the farming sector.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2022