SWABI: The recent influx of locally produced potatoes into the market has caused a sharp decline in prices, leaving farmers unable to recover their production costs and plunging them into financial hardship.

The potato harvesting commenced here two weeks back but the growers are striving to sell their produce.

The growers belonging to various regions of Swabi here on Saturday castigated the government policy, saying that it is a matter of regret that they always had to bear losses while the government had no mechanism to collect the produce from them at a reasonable price during the production of potatoes or any other vegetable.

Javid Khan of Tordher Village who had came to sell his produce in the district vegetable markets at the district headquarters told Dawn on Saturday that it was a matter of great agony for them that whenever they were in trouble, the government played the role of a silent spectator, challenging the claims of the ruling clique that they considered agriculture as the backbone of the economy.

Hanif Khan, another farmer of Maneri, said that survival of the peasants was in grave danger while the business community was major beneficiary of their produce.

They said that before the arrival of the new crop, potatoes were selling at Rs700 per 5 kg in the market, but the price has now dropped to Rs200 per 5 kg.

They alleged that whenever their produce was brought to the market, price was reduced under a systematic strategy by the business community, be it tobacco, potato, wheat, corn or any other produce or vegetable.

The growers demanded that the government should purchase their produce at a reasonable price, adding it was extremely important that prices be stabilised at the time of harvest so that they do not suffer huge losses.

Khalid Khan, the district president of the Kisan Board, said that it was a matter of great concern that the government had not taken any measure to protect farmers.

Published in Dawn, December 21st, 2025