ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security Sikandar Hayat Bosan Wednesday underlined the need for taking concrete measures to reduce taxes on agriculture sector.
He was speaking in the Senate regarding on adjournment motion moved by Muhammad Azam Khan Swati to discuss the ineffective mechanism and lack of oversight by the government to protect the interest of millions of wheat growers due to which they forced to sell their wheat crop on less than support price fixed by the government.
He said wheat production had increased over the last four years and efforts would be made to fix support price of wheat following consultations.
Past government imposed GST, adding provinces were not taking adequate measures for the development of agriculture sector he said, adding that issues in this regard were also taken up with Chief Ministers of KP and Sindh, but no positive response was received.
He said that wheat procurement target had been increased for current year and average annual wheat production stood at 26 million tonnes.
Price of maund of wheat was Rs 1100 in market and the middle man was exploiting the situation, he added.
He dispelled the impression that only rich farmers were supported, adding the policy was focussing 96 percent of the small farmers.
Solar energy was being given priority for agriculture sector he said and added measures also were being made to reduce production cost of agriculture yield.
He said the minimum wheat support price was Rs 1300 which was high as compared to other countries.
Regarding his motion, Azam Swati said the Pakistan was an agriculture country and government needed to take tangible measures for protection farmers' interest.
He observed the farmers especially the small ones were forced to sell their wheat crop less than support price fixed by the government. Thus, he was of the view a vibrant and effective mechanism should be put in place to effectively monitor issues which negatively affect the farmers' rights and interest.
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