LAHORE: The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) has asked the government not to give transit facility to India to supply wheat to Afghanistan.
Talking to Customs Today, PKI President Chaudhary Muhammad Anwar said that Pakistan was the only country where no subsidy was given to farmers. He said that the prices of all agriculture inputs like seeds, fertilizers, electricity and diesel were so high that farmers had to increase the prices of products.
Anwar said, “We want to sell agriculture-products on low prices but we need economical inputs and subsidies by the government.” He quoted example of India regarding subsidies to farmers. The government of India provides diesel at Rs 45 in Pakistani rupees to farmers that is half of the actual price besides it provides electricity, fertilizer and seeds at subsidized rates.
A non-subsidized agriculture could not be competed with the subsidized agriculture, he said. He added that the route permit to India towards Afghanistan could damage the products of Pakistan in Afghanistan’s market and local market also.
He also informed that all farmers had rejected the government support price Rs 1300 of wheat. He revealed that a meeting was held with the official about two weeks ago to fix the wheat price. The meeting was presided by Member National Assembly Skindar Hayyat Khan Bosan, while all commissioners of wheat, cotton and farmers representatives participated in the meeting. Anwar said that we put the reservation before the officials and asked to fix the rate of wheat at Rs 1500, but officials did not accept the rate. At last, both sides agreed at Rs 1400 per 40 kilogram, Anwar told.
The PKI president said that the government has deceived the farmers by announcing the wheat price Rs 1300 despite the set rate. He urged the government to take measures to save the agriculture of the country.
