SWABI: Local growers have demanded adequate financial assistance, especially to small farmers, who had badly suffered during the recent floods here.

The growers in a gathering said on Thursday that the agriculture sector, which contributed to the country’s feeble economy, had remained the most neglected sector in the country.

The Ittehad-e-Kasthkaran Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (IKKP) and Kashthkar Coordination Council (KCC) leaders complained during the joint meeting that the biggest problem was that there was contradiction in the statements and actions of the government’s representatives, triggering differences between parliamentarians and farmers.

Arif Ali Khan, central chairman of IK said: “The (rulers) only take care of own interests while the poor growers are neglected.”

This is the reason that the agriculture sector has lagged behindand suffered huge losses, he said, adding that in the upcoming federal and provincial budgets steps should be taken for the underprivileged farmers.

Iqbal Shewa, vice-chairman of IKKP said that Rs390 per kilogram advance tax on tobacco crop had badly crippled the tobacco export and caused a huge loss to the farmers because the companies had always transferred the entire burden of taxes to the farmers.

Nasir Khan, central general secretary of KCC said that they expecedt a special package for the farmers in the annual budget, adding that there was a dire need to introduce modern technology in agriculture sector to enhance production of the leading crops including wheat, paving the way for self-sufficiency.

They expressed hope that the present provincial government would help the farmers to come out successful from the quagmire of the problems.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2025