Sector without growth

According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18, agriculture contributes 18.9 percent to GDP and provides livelihood to almost two out of every five Pakistanis. The sector grew by 3.81 percent during the year 2017-18. This low growth in the agricultural sector indicates that the poverty situation in the country couldn’t be mitigated with this low growth, as mostly rural population is engaged with the sector. If agriculture gives a low figure, it will also harm demand for industrial goods and other services and supplying raw material to agro-based industries.

If agriculture is to push economy forward, terms of trade need to be improved its favour. The challenge now is to diversify crop patterns, introduce good quality seeds, and arrange for comprehensive value-chain mechanism for different commodities for sustained market to avoid price fluctuations and volatility. In addition, there is the need to rationalise the opportunities as well in other valued sectors such as the dairy sector, the edible oil and livestock sub-sector which contribute substantially in the overall growth of agriculture sector.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar