‘Nothing allocated for agri sector in budget’

LAHORE: Central Chairman of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) Khalid Hussain has regretted that virtually nothing has been allocated for development of agriculture sector in the Punjab budget.

Addressing a press conference here Saturday, he said that there were empty slogans in the budget speech. The farmers are crying as they didn't get due price of their crops including wheat. He said that the farmer was going through the hardest times, wheat was not procured by the provincial government and when we raise voice for our rights, we were badly hit by force.

Khalid said that inputs had become costly with every passing day. The electricity charges for the industry is Rs30 per unit but growers are being charged Rs70 per unit, he lamented. The Chairman PKI added that the farmer did not get a single relief in this budget. He demanded of the government to allow export of wheat as it had failed to buy grains from farmers.