IT is rather sad that farmers in Pakistan no longer have hopes of government intervention in their favour. This is so because the government has destroyed the agriculture sector, especially wheat production, due to its flawed policies related to price cap and procurement.

It is the season to sow wheat for the next crop, but farmers are reluctant because of the prevailing uncertainty regarding prices. All the hopes of farmers were shattered when the government refused to announce a support price and abandoned procurement.

Although this might have been a good step in principle, the way and framework through which it was executed resulted in disasters for the farmers.

There should have been precautionary measures, such as credit schemes and insurance, but, instead, clusters of middlemen exploited the situation and made profit as food hoarders. Those who had stored wheat for the next season faced disappointment when their stocks lost value. The farmers who relied on wheat storage for future income lost faith in the system as the authorities failed to regulate the market forces, or hold the middlemen accountable.

Moreover, many farmers who had started shifting towards other crops are now facing deep uncertainty. They often depend on loans to meet daily needs and occasional expenses, leaving little room to save for the next cultivation season. In reality, the situation reflects the exploitation of farmers in the profit chain. They are the least benefited participants and hardly see any share in profits. These poor souls spend their days and nights working tirelessly in the fields. When such an innocent and silent section of society is compelled to raise its voice, it signals the seriousness of the crisis.

A person working miserably under harsh climatic conditions and unstable market rates — the farmer — can barely survive. It is necessary to devise a permanent and practical plan — a well-thought-out annual framework for crops — to ensure that farmers receive fair compensation and security for all their hard work.

Chaudhary Aamir Sohail
Sargodha

Published in Dawn, November 25th, 2025