The agriculture sector in Pakistan is grappling with a severe crisis, as farmers are experiencing a double whammy of increased production costs and declining commodity prices. Khalid Mahmood Khokhar, the president of Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI), has issued an urgent plea for government intervention to save the farming community.
Since 2023, the cost of production has doubled, while prices for major crops like wheat, cotton, and maize have plummeted by 25% on average. Farmers have had to bear an additional burden of Rs300 billion due to black marketing of urea, despite repeated calls for government action.
Khokhar expressed disappointment over the government’s decision to import wheat just before the harvest, leading to a crash in wheat prices. Furthermore, an increase in gas prices has contributed to a rise in urea prices, further squeezing farmers’ margins.
To address these challenges, Khokhar proposed immediate government measures, including buying two million tonnes of wheat at declared rates and ensuring urea availability at a maximum rate of Rs4,000 per bag nationwide. Failure to act, he warns, could jeopardize national food security and economic stability, particularly with cotton cultivation facing a threat.
Pakistan Kissan Ittehad urges swift government action to address wheat support prices and urea availability, aiming to avert potential farmer protests and safeguard the agriculture sector’s viability.
