LAHORE: Farmers have warned of protesting outside parliament before the presentation of the budget if they are not paid back for their losses suffered because of low support prices of sugarcane, cotton, rice and potato crops.
President Kissan Ittehad Khalid Mahmood said the farmers were facing colossal losses due to failure of getting the right price for their produce, during a pre-budget seminar of farm leaders held on Thursday by Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA), reported The News.
Mr. Mahmood said the government should pay back farmers Rs30,000 per acre and to fix minimum support price for major crops like done in other neighbouring nations.
An official from the farmers association requested the government to eliminate taxes on fertilizers to raise their off-take, which would contribute to increase in crops.
He added marketing related issues of farmers could be resolved by bringing in minimum support pricing for major crops like that in India to protect interest of farmers.
Also, the official said the government to reimburse farmers for the increasing rise in cost of pumping groundwater.
Senior Vice President Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP), Sarfraz Khan stated political parties should form a united front and formulate national development agenda by giving top consideration to agriculture sector.
Mr. Khan said to ensure rise in farm production, exports, decrease in budget, current account deficit was possible by making agriculture sector the engine of growth.
Also, the SVP KBP shared farmers were facing immense challenges to make two ends meet, as agriculture sector was not sustainable because of lack of financial viability.
He added the government should announce two budgets in the forthcoming budget for financial year 2018-19.
