After going through the series of lengthy, cumbersome and time consuming formalities to sell their wheat stock to PASSCO this year, Punjab growers will dare not cultivate wheat next season. They will likely opt for an alternative crop like corn or cotton. Wheat being the staple food, this trend might lead to food shortage in the country that will surely compel the government to import it at a price double than the local rates.
From another national perspective, agronomists say that there is around 60 per cent yield gap in wheat, which needs to be narrowed. Wheat production in the country, however, has been well below potential and variable. Agriculture experts hold a number of factors responsible for low productivity. These include delayed harvesting of kharif crops like cotton, sugarcane and rice, and consequent late planting of wheat, non availability of improved inputs like seed, inefficient fertiliser use, weed infestation, shortage of irrigation water, drought in rain fed and terminal heat stress, soil degradation, inefficient extension services, etc. They also attribute farmers’ lack of awareness of modern technologies to weak extension services system.
Hindering self-reliance: These factors might be considered as contributory aspects of low production but, being a grower, I confidently challenge that the government’s cold shoulder towards growers and anti-farmer policies of the bureaucracy are the biggest hindrance in Pakistan’s self-reliance in food and agriculture.
A typically poor grower is indebted up to his neck. He has to borrow money for the mid-term bills of diesel, electricity, seeds, fertilisers and pesticides essentially required for his wheat crop and at the time of harvest, when he is in great hurry to pay off all his outstanding debts. He cannot afford to hold his stock even for a single day. It is ironic that when he goes to PASSCO to sell his grain stock, he is asked to fulfill a series of formalities and he has to grease palms of officials at every step.
Firstly, he has to obtain proof of ownership of land from Patwari. Second step is to apply for permission to sell to them the precise quantity of wheat he desired to dispose off. Thirdly, buy from the authorities the empty bags (bardana), whose price would be refunded to him in his payment bill. Now comes the time to take wheat to government purchase centre on tractor trolley and pay tribute at every check post. In some cases the centre is located up to 50 kilometers from his place. He will deliver the stock to them and they will issue him a pay order. To encash the pay order, he needs to open a bank account so that the money can be transferred to him.
The details are mind boggling. How can a farmer be made to endure these formalities while his stock lies unattended in the open? There is an old myth in Punjab that a farmer whose mother died during the harvest season kept her body in Bharrola (an earthen wheat container for domestic use) and announced that the last rituals will be held after the harvest. A farmer whose stock is lying in the field cannot afford to spare that much time to fulfill these formalities. The procedure needs to be simplified because it has proved highly counter productive for genuine growers and opens the flood gates of corruption for middlemen.
Unholy alliances: I wish to put on record that as a result of an unholy alliance of PPP (Patwari, PASSCO officials and profiteers (middlemen), millions of rupees meant for the growers made their way into the pockets of PPP triangle. However, there are exceptions. Local politicians, landed elite and powerful elements not only remained insulated from the exploitation of PPP but also contributed to the mess to get a fair share in the sleazy deals.
The bumper crop achieved this year might be good news for our national economy, but it bodes ill for growers because the government has sufficiently replenished its storage facilities and growers are forced to sell the surplus grain to traders and middlemen at throw-away prices. Another discouraging factor for growers is that the government has put a freeze on the price of wheat since last three years, whereas the cost of production in terms of ploughing, irrigating, seed prices, fertilisers, pesticides, and harvesting have doubled or tripled during the same period. According to a survey, the grower has to invest Rs32,000/acre in six months. Taking into account his expenses versus average per acre production of 35 maund, he will only get Rs5,000 (net revenue after off-setting his cost) as a fruit of his labour.
Protect growersOn the one hand, Punjab government has announced to export the surplus what this year, but on the other growers intend to abandon wheat in large numbers next season after witnessing loot sale of their crops. The party in power had announced Roti, Kaparra aur Makan as an axis of their election manifesto but they have not paid heed to the fact that bread is made of flour which comes from wheat. If they want to ensure the daily supply of bread to everyone, they have to protect the interests of the growers.
Chief Minister of Punjab, the province that produces 85 per cent of total wheat was very enthusiastic during 2009 and 2010 procurement campaigns and repeatedly announced that we will carry on procurement until the last grain of wheat is lifted from growers, but these are things of the past. He was nowhere in the picture during this years’ lack luster campaign. Good administration does not mean that the CM himself should undertake snap checking of PASSCO. There must be an objective, fool proof and grower friendly system to kick out the middleman from the whole episode.