LARKANA, Nov 12: Local leaders of grower organisations rejected outright the Sindh agriculture secretary’s claim that there was no shortage of wheat seed, fertiliser and water in the province, and said to his face that his department had failed to address crucial issues of growers.

At a seminar on ‘Grow More Wheat’, which was also addressed by Sindh Minister for Agriculture Syed Ali Nawaz Shah, Sindh Secretary of Agriculture Sabhago Jatoi said that a director for Rice Research Institute Dokri would soon be appointed as the government was determined to bring in an agricultural revolution.

He said that his department was planning to launch one-window operation for the purpose and the plan would soon be finalised after meetings with governor of the State Bank and chairman of Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan.

But the growers leaders, Gada Hussain Mahisar, vice-president of Sindh Abadgar Board and Siraj Rasdhi, president of Larkana chapter of Sindh Chamber of Agriculture, who were also present at the seminar did not agree with the high official.

They disputed his claims and said that the province required 145,000 tons of certified seed of wheat to cultivate the crop on 240,000 acres of land at this crucial juncture.

But the government had failed to address the issues and was just biding its time holding seminars which would remain completely unproductive, they said.

They said that only in Larkana growers badly needed 27 tons of certified seed whereas the government had so far supplied only 12,000 tons, which according to them were like a mole in the camel’s mouth.

They said last year’s water shortage stood at only 22 per cent but this year the bed of the River Indus had only dry sand to offer to growers, which was quite an alarming situation.

They said that the government’s warehouses had no fertiliser stock while the traders’ stores were full of fertilisers. The traders would sell fertiliser at the highest rates later, they said.

They said that Phosphorus fertiliser, which was an essential input for increasing the yield was unavailable in the market. Research activities at the Rice Research Institute of Dokri had almost come to a halt, they said.

“How could we achieve the target when we are faced with shortage of certified seed, irrigation water and fertiliser,” they said.