By Gohar Ali Khan
KARACHI: All Pakistan Fruit & Vegetable Exporters, Importers and Merchants Association patron-in-chief Waheed Ahmed on Saturday said the budget did not address basic problems being faced by the agriculture sector of the country after giving reaction to the budget 2023-2024 of the country announced by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in the National Assembly.
He stressed need for research and development (R&D) support for agricultural sector as the R&D is unavoidable in the current scenario of the global warming in the country.
He said the impact of climate change has not been addressed through research and development to enhance production and new varieties. It is essential to allocate adequate funds for research and development for the agricultural sector
He said Pakistan’s agriculture sector is facing the worst effects of climate change. The production of Pakistan’s agricultural sector has been badly affected for two years.
He said the impact of climate change on the agricultural sector is causing serious concerns on food security. No realistic solution has been proposed in the budget for issues.
“The government is not focusing on development and research on agriculture of the country despite rising food insecurity following the global warming as I have been monitoring the consecutive budgets for the past 15 years. when it comes to the growth for last two years, agricultural produce has fallen significantly including mango 50 per cent, banana and Kinnow 45 per cent, onion and tomato 90 per cent, vegetable and fruits 50-to-70 per cent as the climate change causing flood, pushing winter for long and summer sets in late,” he said.
Waheed Ahmed
He said Pakistan calls for ample allocation of budget on research and development aimed to spawn new wide variety of seeds to face challenges in future. He said zero-duty should be imposed to import of agriculture state-of-the-art machinery and technology to promote and enhance agriculture. Unfortunately, no government worked on long term policy except for giving some subsidy to farmers.
Agricultural growth is falling day by day and population is rising but there is no strategy evolved to bolster up this sector.
“We will have to adopt new and modern techniques and technology by leaving the old-fashioned modus operandi which only could take a heavy toll on it,” Waheed Ahmed said.
He said the advanced technology could empower small-and-big-holder farmers and help them procured better returns in a short time. The modern techniques could give full awareness about growth and hazards following unprecedented rains and floods or other natural catastrophe which might deprive farmers of their crops and fall prey to hunger and deprivation. The country is facing multiple crises, while peasants could not withstand natural calamities, but they could reduce severe impacts of any catastrophe in future, if they are aware of technology and techniques.
If there is no budget allocation for the research and development (RD) of agriculture how can we come out of this emerging crisis in future?, he said
He said there is an acute shortage of US dollar and food insecurity is increasing gradually, exports are going down quickly and imports of agriculture products are increasing.
Locals can convert problems into opportunities as they import palm oil and other produce, such crops should grow to cut the imports.
“If we focus on the long-neglected agriculture sector, only agriculture exports of the country could touch $27 billion within three years as this is a vast sector including meat, fisheries poultry, fruit, vegetable and crops,” he said.
Meanwhile, he wrote a letter to the ministry of commerce secretary about realization of export proceeds, while highlighting issues of fruit exporters and pleading for initiatives to give some relief exporters who can play a role in bolstering up the national economy.——End
