LAHORE: Pakistan Kissan Board President Sardar Zafar Hussain has urged the federal and provincial governments to allocate at least 10pc of their budgets to agriculture in the upcoming fiscal year and introduce farmer-friendly policies to strengthen agricultural production, food security, and rural economy.

Addressing a pre-budget press conference at Mansoora, he said agriculture contributes 24pc to the national economy and provides employment to around 45pc of the workforce, yet receives a disproportionately small share of public spending. He said the federal government allocated only 0.36pc of its budget to agriculture last year, while Punjab allocated 1.5pc, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 1.9pc each, and Balochistan 2.5pc.

He said that 60 to 70pc of Pakistan’s population was directly or indirectly linked to agriculture, but the sector’s growth rate had declined from 6.5pc to just 0.6pc. He termed the situation alarming and called for urgent corrective measures.

He said Pakistan could earn up to $60 billion annually through agricultural exports, if the sector received adequate support. Expressing concern over rising input costs, he said a bag of urea sells for around Rs900 and DAP fertiliser for Rs4,500 in India, whereas Pakistani farmers pay approximately Rs4,500 for urea and Rs16,000 for DAP.

He demanded that electricity tariffs for agricultural tubewells be fixed at Rs10 per unit for five years, petroleum levy on diesel used for farming be abolished, and free electricity be provided for tubewells.

He demanded a five-year national agricultural policy formulated in consultation with farmers, advance announcement of minimum support prices before sowing, a 50pc reduction in the prices of seeds, fertilisers and agricultural chemicals, tax exemptions on agricultural machinery and solar equipment.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2026