LAHORE – Farmers Associates Pakistan (FAP) urged the government to rescue the mired agriculture sector through different steps including immediately beginning work on mega dams for overcoming the water shortage in the country. It also urged the Punjab government to help sugarcane growers in recovering their payments from millers.
In an emergency meeting of Board of Directors of Farmers Associates Pakistan (FAP) under the Chairmanship of FAP Vice Chairman Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi, the members of FAP Board of Directors urged the Government of Pakistan to immediately start construction of all proposed dams including Kalabagh, Bhasha and Akhori.
It observed that the water and electricity shortage could not be resolved without construction of big dams. The provincial government was also urged to start work on proposed project worth Rs 18 billion to promote drip and sprinkle irrigation in the province.
FAP urged the Punjab government to direct the cane commissioner to help growers recover their dues from sugar mills which have swelled beyond Rs 4.0 billion including those dues outstanding from previous crop session because of which farmer are facing great hardship as cash flow is badly disrupted.
The meeting also stressed that the government must dispose off wheat stocks held over the previous two years as after two months, a fresh crop will be reaped. The FAP members urged the government to immediately announce its wheat procurement policy and plan for the next crop.
The members showed concerned over rising prices of fertilisers which had registered an increase of between Rs 400-500 during the last two months and stressed upon the government to undertake immediate remedial measures. FAP spokesman resented the unilateral increase in agriculture tax by the provincial government and demanded that filing of returns should not be mandatory as it might expose corruption.
It proposed that the government should delay introduction of the filing system for three years and develop the capacity of farmers in this regard. He informed that in Punjab, tax under the head of agriculture is collected to the tune of Rs 780 million annually, so the perception that the agricultural sector is not taxed is entirely misplaced.
Rounding up, the meeting strongly rejected the imposition of 3.5 percent Withholding Tax on the trade of agricultural produce and observed that farmers and consumers will have to pay the price ultimately.
