PESHAWAR, May 29: The association of farmers and landowners has urged the government to to let farmers participate in the process of formulating budget proposals relating to agriculture.

The demand came following a summary moved by the Central Board of Revenue and the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock asking the government to levy 15 per cent regulatory duty on export of jaggery (gur).

Without participation of farmers, the new policies may not prove productive, the organisation’s president Jan Nisar Khalil told journalists on Monday.

He said jaggery was exported to Afghanistan and Central Asian states from the NWFP and its consumption at home was deemed to be against the interest of cane millers.

A few months back, the government had planned to impose the duty but protests by farmers had made it abandon the idea.

Now the decision is likely to be imposed in the budget.

Mr Khalil said farmers were not being involved in decision making despite the country having an agriculture based economy.

He said most of government bodies are focusing on benefiting sugar millers, who are already increasing the price of sugar. He said steps should also be taken for welfare of small farmers.

The millers’ mafia wanted to buy sugarcane at throwaway prices, that’s why they want to halt production of jaggery, he said.

“The government should take action against cane millers and support the cottage industry of the NWFP,” he demanded.

He also discounted rumours that the commodity was being used to make liquor in Afghanistan and Central Asia.