IT is rather unfortunate that most farmers do not have access to good-quality seeds. Recently, the government ordered an overhaul of the agriculture sector through the formulation of a new agriculture policy, but that is not the solution. The available seeds are not environmentally sustainable, requiring a high amount of water, care, fertilisers and pesticides. Paddy rice requires extraction of huge water which burdens the already crippling water misgovernance.
The per-acre cost now far exceeds the profit even if the government buys at Rs3,500 per maund. Also, despite the abnormal weather changes, the authorities have been unable to provide any crop insurance to the farmers.
The so-called subsidies fail to reach the farmers because ‘elite capture’ provides essential and preferential credits to their fellows who manufacture fertilisers, import seeds and have factories. Resultantly, the hopes of the farming community die with the arrival of a disastrous thunderstorm.
Cotton has been hit by a seriously low output that has converted the country from being a net exporter of cotton to being an importer. Similarly, the yield of the wheat this year has fallen drastically, and sector analysts believe the national crop may be more than 20 per cent below annual requirements. The yield of sugarcane is stagnant around 1,000-1,200 maunds per acre, which is more than 2,000 in India.
Low-quality seeds are more vulnerable to insects and worms which hinder a good yield. Later on, crops born of these seeds require a great amount of fertilisers, pesticides and chemicals which raises the input cost, thus narrowing the profit.
I would like to share my personal experience as an example. Since 2024, I have been ordering vegetable seeds directly from the agriculture research centre in Faisalabad. These seeds require no fertilisers and no pesticides, and no extensive watering. These seeds are environmentally sustainable and produce very high yield. The canola seeds provide me a yield of 38 maunds per acre, while the rest of the farmers have been getting no more than 15 maunds per acre. This indicates that high-yield seeds are avail-able, but one has to search for them on one’s own.
The Seed Act of 2025 had established the National Seed Development and Regulatory Authority (NSDRA) as a special institution to enhance regulatory oversight, support varietal development, and ensure the provision of genetically true-to-type seed. It is a welcome step, but the institution needs to focus on the development of resilient and environment-ally sustainable seeds.
As things stand, when farmers need stable prices, the government spends time promoting luxury agri-products that they do not need. When farmers demand subsidy on diesel and seeds, the government provides incentive to mill-owners.
When farmers have wheat stocks, the government orders crackdown on their houses, but does not take any such action against hoarders and mill-owners active in the cities. The dice is clearly loaded against the community of low-scale farmers.
Chaudhary Aamir Sohail
Sargodha
Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2026