Despite having immense potential, the agriculture sector of Pakistan lacks efficiency and global competitiveness, causing dent to self sufficiency in production of various farm produces, said Asad Umar, Chairman Pakistan Business Council while speaking to members of Agricultural Journalists’ Association (AJA). In his presentation on ‘Agriculture – a mainstay of Pakistan’s economy’ Asad Umar, who has recently assumed responsibility in Pakistan Tehrik Insaf as Senior Vice President after opting early retirement from top slot of Engro Corp, said production of various farm products has been as low as 90 per cent if compared with global benchmark. Sugarcane yield is 40 per cent lower if compared with global benchmarks, wheat yield is 20 per cent lower, non-basmati Rice yield is 40 per cent lower, cotton yield is 20 per cent lower and milk yield per animal is 90 per cent lower, he said. The low output also adversely affects capability of farmers to earn more, he added. Pakistan, which has been dubbed as a ‘great bread basket’ is struggling due to these factors and is now increasingly becoming an importer of a large number of agri-commodities. At the same time, Umar said, Pakistan agriculture sector also faces huge post-harvest losses of 40-80 per cent if compared with global benchmark. This double blow—low output and high losses, diminishes income of growers further, he maintained. Similar is the case with agriculture credit facilities, farm mechanization and availability of water, he said and adding these structural problems needs to be address. As against 20-25 tractors per sq km of arable land for global benchmarks, availability of tractor for Pakistani farmer has been about 10 times lower from this level. Much to the dismay of farmers, he said, agricultural Credit disbursed to farmers in Pakistan declined from USD 3.4 billion in 2007/08 to USD 3.1 billion in 2010/11. During the same period, Indian Agricultural Credit increased from USD 63.3 billion to USD 103.4 billion, he said. gricultural Credit in Pakistan is 8 per cent of agri-GDP while in India, it is 31 per cent of agri-GDP.
