Farmers body calls for increasing wheat support price

LAHORE:Pakistan Kissan Ittehad has demanded the government increase wheat support price, reduce electricity tariff, give subsidy on fertilisers and fix cotton support price before the sowing season. The PKI members demanded that wheat support price be fixed equal to the rate fixed in Sindh, Rs2,000 per 40kg, electricity tariff for farmers be reduced to Rs5.35 per unit and subsidy be announced on DAP and urea fertilisers.

The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) warned if the demands were not fulfilled, it would give a call to the entire farming community of Pakistan to launch a tractor march on Islamabad on March 31. The PKI representatives said closed factories of urea might be by reopened or urea might be imported for timely supply of the fertiliser.

They expressed reservations on the policies of the present government. They said if the policies continued, the agriculture sector would collapse and the country would have to import every food item. The PM Agriculture package approved by the prime minister in March 2020 has not been disbursed till date. The relief in agriculture tube-well electricity bills was promised by the PM and it was to be resolved within 30 days but it has not yet been granted despite laps of six months.

Wheat support price was demanded Rs2,000 per mound but lower price was announced for it. Had that price been fixed at the right time, wheat would have been sowed on every marla of the agricultural land, resulting in availability of cheap atta to the people without fear of smuggling, the PKI representatives continued.

DAP price in the country is touching the sky as the price is Rs 5,000 per bag. No one would use DAP for Kharief crops, if proper subsidy is not given timely on it. Due to shortage of urea fertiliser during Rabi season farmers have to bear escalated cost of about of Rs2 billion. The cost of production has gone up due to the escalated prices of fertilisers, diesel, pesticides and farm machinery, they said.