Kharif crops: Availability, prices and monitoring system of agri inputs reviewed

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Industries, Trade and Energy S M Tanveer chaired a meeting to review the availability, prices and monitoring system of agricultural inputs for Kharif crops.

The minister was briefed on availability of chemical fertilisers and pesticides in Kharif season and monitoring of fixed prices. At the meeting, the representatives of pesticide and fertiliser industry informed the minister of the problems they are facing.

Addressing the meeting, S M Tanveer said all the stakeholders should prepare proposals for solving their problems which would be sent to the federal government for approval. He further said that fake agricultural inputs and sub-standard fertilisers were like poisons for crops which reduce production and cause irreparable damage to the country’s economy.

On this occasion, Secretary Agriculture, Punjab Wasif Khurshid said the Government of Punjab was following a zero-tolerance policy against the adulteration of fertilizers and agricultural inputs. It has used all possible means and resources to ensure availability of quality agricultural inputs to the farmers at fixed rates. He further said the subsidies were being delivered to the farmers’ doorsteps in a very transparent manner.

He also directed all stakeholders to discourage the sales of fake pesticides. He gave instructions regarding the preparation of recommendations regarding the obstacles and delays in the import of pesticides so that those recommendations could be sent to the federal government as soon as possible to reduce the problems of the private sector and ensure timely supply of quality agricultural inputs to the farmers. In order to ensure the achievement of the production targets of cotton and other Kharif crops.

Additional Secretary Agriculture (Task Force) Punjab Muhammad Shabbir Ahmad Khan, Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture Pest Warning and Quality were present in the meeting. Controller Faqir Ahmed and other concerned representatives of Fertilizers and Pesticides industry participated.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023