ISLAMABAD: The Kissan Ittehad has issued a strong warning to the government, threatening a massive protest march to Islamabad if the Punjab government fails to raise the wheat support price and take decisive action to curb the escalating input costs that are crippling the agricultural sector.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Central Chairman of Kissan Ittehad Khalid Hussain denounced the government’s apathy toward farmers’ mounting challenges. He accused the Punjab government of granting unchecked power to flour mills, enabling them to exploit farmers and cause billions of rupees in losses to the agricultural economy.
Flanked by Central President Mian Umair Masood, Hussain demanded that the wheat support price be set at PKR 5,000 per 40 kilograms, while urging the sugarcane support price to be fixed at PKR 400 per 40 kilograms. He warned that failure to meet these demands would compel farmers from across Pakistan to march on the federal capital, with the possibility of staging a prolonged sit-in.
The Kissan Ittehad leaders described 2024 as one of the most challenging years for Pakistan’s agricultural sector. Khalid Hussain highlighted several issues, including the government’s delay in announcing minimum support prices for critical crops such as wheat and sugarcane.
Despite the Sugar Mills Association agreeing to purchase sugarcane at PKR 400 per maund, mills are reportedly buying it at rates between PKR 300 and PKR 325 per maund. This discrepancy has left farmers grappling with substantial financial losses, Hussain said.
Electricity prices for tube wells have surged, and irrigation water costs have skyrocketed from PKR 300 to PKR 5,000 per hour, further squeezing farmers’ profits. Hussain criticized the government’s failure to ensure the availability of quality seeds and to combat the black marketing of urea fertilizer, which has driven up costs significantly.
“Farmers are left bearing the brunt of rising input costs, while the government continues to withhold subsidies essential for the survival of the agricultural sector,” Hussain said.
The Kissan Ittehad leaders also criticized the government’s reluctance to announce minimum crop prices, attributing it to conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Under the IMF’s policies to promote a free-market economy, subsidies are discouraged, leaving farmers vulnerable to exploitation by market forces.
As the crisis deepens, the Kissan Ittehad is calling for urgent government intervention to stabilize the agricultural economy and safeguard the livelihoods of millions of farmers. The organization’s demands underscore the need for decisive measures to address pricing disparities, control rising input costs, and reinstate critical subsidies.
Without meaningful action, the looming protest march could disrupt the nation’s capital, further amplifying the voices of discontent within Pakistan’s farming community.
