Ex-FPCCI chairman Ahmad Jawad urges administrative officers to continue measures for eradication of smuggling of wheat and fertilizers
LAHORE ( Web News )
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) former chairman on Agriculture, Ahmad Jawad urged the administrative officers to continue measures for eradication of smuggling of wheat and fertilisers.
“Farmers have been ‘economically murdered’ by creating an artificial crisis of fertiliser and thus raising the prices of the compost at least twice for DAP (di-ammonium phosphate) bag”.
Talking to media on Sunday he said in the past, a shortage of wheat and fertilisers was created in the country due to the smuggling of these commodities to Central Asia.
The demand for Pakistani fertiliser is high in these regions due to its quality and low pricing. Therefore, the dealers of the commodity smuggle it out of the country to earn better magins.
The FBR may start the implementation of a track and trace system on fertiliser production that can also help to curb the smuggling.
FPCCI official also raised alarms over huge electricity bills weighing on the cost of production which affects our agriculture sector.
“It is high time to take steps to curb the menace of inflated power bills slapped on farmers,” they said and demanded that agriculture tube wells should be charged as “one-unit one-rate”.
Besides, Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA) must be abolished from the electricity bills of agriculture tube wells, he stressed.
About fertiliser profiteering and non-availability, the growers termed the situation as pathetic, saying urea fertiliser was not available anywhere in the country at official price.
They feared low use of fertiliser would negatively reflect on the productivity of wheat that’s why government might again to import wheat this year.
However for the betterment of small landowners, federal government may reduce prices of tractors, ensure quality pesticides, seeds and other required items with the consultation of provinces.
Including it should also abolish 17 per cent GST on agriculture inputs and bring down the electricity tariff for agriculture tube-wells at Rs5.35 per unit.