ISLAMABAD, Aug 27 (APP): Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam on Friday said the government was striving to ensure proper rate of returns to farmers for their produces to improve their living standards as well as maintaining sustainable agriculture growth in the country.
Addressing a press conference along with Minister for Finance Shaukat Tarin, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood, Minister for Industries Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar, Imam said that special focus was being paid on up-gradation of research institutions to bring the quality of local scientist at par with international standards for benefiting local extension and growers.
He said that proper policies of current government was bearing results as all major crop like wheat, rice, sugarcane, maize and other minor crops witnessed significant increase during last season, adding that due to timely announcement of minimum support price of wheat, local grain output increased by 2.2 million tons.
Meanwhile, other crops including rice output increased by 1 million tons, maize by 700,000 tons and sugarcane output also increased, he said adding that due to sustainable wheat output, local demand and supply would likely to remain on smooth position.
The government had announced intervention price for cotton crop after 8 years, he said adding it would encourage and protect the local farmers and help in enhancing its output as cotton was an important cash crop of the country and a vital source of raw material for local industrial sector.
Imam said that government was striving to ensure the provision of inputs on affordable rates, besides extending the outreach of research and extension services to the doorstep of farmers, adding that it was expected to achieve 10 million cotton bales during current season.
The minister said that agriculture sector was badly neglected by the all previous governments and was not included in national main stream from last 20 years, adding that agriculture sector was growing with an average of 4 percent from 1960 and during last 20 years it was gradually on declining trend.
During last financial year, despite COVID-19 Pandemic, under the special directives of Prime Minister budgetary allocations for agriculture sector was increased, adding that measures were taken to promote mechanization of agriculture sector.
The government was also providing subsidies for the construction of water channels, purchase of laser land leveler, adding that in order to involve the large bulge of youth in agriculture, agriculture loans would also be provided under Prime Minister Kamyab Jawan Program.
