SARGODHA, Oct 26 (APP):Pakistan Kissan Ittehaad Chairman Khalid Khokher on Monday called for an immediate declaration of an agricultural emergency, transparent wheat procurement and the establishment of small-scale agro-processing units to reduce post-harvest losses, enhance farmers’ incomes and strengthen the country’s food security. Talking to the media, Khokher stressed the need to promote value addition in agriculture through small processing units with government support and cooperation from the Small and …
Agri emergency stressed
SARGODHA, Oct 26 (APP):Pakistan Kissan Ittehaad Chairman Khalid Khokher on Monday called for an immediate declaration of an agricultural emergency, transparent wheat procurement and the establishment of small-scale agro-processing units to reduce post-harvest losses, enhance farmers’ incomes and strengthen the country’s food security.
Talking to the media, Khokher stressed the need to promote value addition in agriculture through small processing units with government support and cooperation from the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA).
He said such facilities would enable farmers to preserve and process perishable agricultural produce instead of selling it at low prices during periods of surplus.
Citing mangoes,potatoes,tomatoes,sweet potatoes and peas,he said Pakistan had significant potential to increase agricultural earnings through processing, preservation and value addition.
However,the lack of adequate facilities forced growers to sell their produce without realizing its full commercial value.
He urged the government to provide interest-free loans to farmers for establishing small processing plants to produce mango pulp and preserve vegetables and other agricultural commodities for longer periods.
Such facilities,he said,would minimize wastage, stabilize farmers’ incomes and create opportunities for supplying processed agricultural products to domestic and international markets.
Welcoming the federal government’s decision to fix the wheat price at Rs.4,500 per maund, Khokher described it as a positive step towards reviving the agricultural sector.
He said wheat was the engine of agriculture and a remunerative price for the staple crop could improve the economic prospects of farmers cultivating other crops as well.
Expressing optimism that the decision would encourage farmers to expand wheat cultivation, he anticipated an increase of around 10 per cent in production.
However,he stressed that announcing a support price alone would not be sufficient without a transparent and effective procurement mechanism to ensure that growers received the announced price.
The Kissan Ittehaad chairman urged the government to prepare the Food Department for the procurement campaign well before the harvesting season and ensure transparency throughout the process.
He said the government should clearly outline its wheat procurement mechanism and ensure that farmers could sell their produce without unnecessary hurdles, exploitation or corruption.
He also called for the resumption of direct wheat procurement by the Food Department,as practised in previous years, and demanded accountability for officials involved in irregularities.
Farmers, he said, needed assurance that their produce would be purchased fairly and that the announced price would translate into tangible financial relief.
Khokher called for an immediate agricultural emergency,warning that rising population,water shortages,climate-related challenges and uncertainty in agricultural markets required long-term planning rather than short-term policy measures.
He proposed a comprehensive 10-year agricultural policy featuring predictable frameworks for crop prices, production costs, fertilizer prices and procurement procedures.
Such a policy, he said, would enable farmers to make informed decisions before sowing and protect them from sudden policy changes that could render cultivation unprofitable.
Highlighting growing pressure on water resources, he said Pakistan was facing a significant water shortage, while inadequate planning and declining reservoir levels posed serious threats to agricultural productivity.
He emphasized that food security was directly linked to national security and called for coordinated measures to conserve water, improve water management and safeguard the country’s future food supplies.
The Kissan Ittehaad chairman also urged the government not to shut down fertilizer plants,warning that closures could lead to shortages and encourage black marketing.
He said the timely availability of fertilizers would be particularly important during the coming agricultural season and predicted that fertilizer consumption could rise by 10 to 15 per cent as farmers responded to the improved wheat price.
He maintained that the availability of fertilizers at affordable rates was essential for enhancing crop yields and ensuring a balanced application of nutrients.
The government, he said, should ensure uninterrupted production and supply to prevent shortages from further increasing the cost of cultivation.
Khokher also expressed concern over the difficulties faced by sugarcane growers, saying uncertainty surrounding the operation of sugar mills had left farmers anxious about the future of their crop.
He said sugarcane cultivation had increased significantly during the current season, making timely mill operations and a transparent purchasing mechanism essential to protect growers from financial losses
