Recently, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Minister for National Food Security and Research informed to decrease input cost and enhance farm earning specifically of small land holders approximately over 1.2 million agriculture tubewells would be switched to solar energy.
Tariq Bashir further informed while addressing a press conference that to finalise modalities a task force was being formed and to align commercial banks to finance. The farmer can repay the loans in installments in up to three years.
Moreover, he added Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif who instructed to initiate and prepare short and long term policies to make sure the tangible outcome in the short period of time focusing on bringing back the agricultural sector for maintaining food safety and security as well as profitability of farming communities. While reassuring government’s commitment with the surety of proper rate of return to them for their produces as well as intensify the outcome of all minor and major crops, he further said that cotton intervention price was finalised and the issue has been highlighted for next meeting of cabinet for approval.
Moreover, he added further that the main objective is to encourage the farming communities to bring maximum area under cultivation of this important crop. The area reduced by 37% as compare to the last session and replaced by rice, maize and sugarcane.
Cheema further said that government is determined to inform minimum support price against wheat before begin of sowing season to encourage farmer to sow more wheat achieve self sufficiency in staple grains making and decrease the ratio of imported wheat and edible oil that increasing pressure on much needed foreign exchange reserves.
Moverover, he highlighted that government have an idea of increasing inflation and the problems which a common man is facing, he informed that to protect a common man from inflationary pressures steps are being taken. He said further controlled rates of essential goods were provided by the government through Utility Stores Corporation during the holy month of Ramazan.
Farmers can plan their payment schedule for upto 3years.
In order to prevent any possible shortage on food grains by the emerging Russia-Ukrine conflict, the government had build up its strategic reserves and increase wheat production targets of all provincial governments and PASSCO, adding that about 3 million tones of wheat was decided to import by government to run smooth supply all round the year.
Pointing the relief measure by government be added further that sales tax on tractor was exempted whereas seed cotton and canola tax was withdrawn. Moreover, no tax was imposed on fertilizer to facilitate growers. Government has an eye on small scale growers as 92% of total gaming communities having less than 12 acres of land. Government will introduce measures to have the surety of credit facility and preventing middle man from exploitation. Tariq added even though in the tough condition by last government with International Monetary Fund, tough decisions had decided to take by the alliance partner and to have masses in their confidence by sharing the facts.
