Progressive farmers in Pakistan believe corporate farming can benefit the country and increase the value of private farmland. However, they told Business Recorder this growth should not come at the expense of state-owned lands.
In European countries, as well as the US and Australia, corporate farmers generally purchase or lease private lands - not state land - with a view to promoting crops yields and increasing exports.
In Pakistan, state lands in deserts, mountains, Cholistan and far flung areas are lying barren. There are tens of thousands of landless haris (farmers) who can make the barren and waste lands cultivable in rural areas if the state were to award pieces of land to them instead of giving them to private farmers.
Corporate farmers can revitalize the agriculture sector
Experts say corporate farmers can revitalize the agriculture sector by using private lands where they can scale up crop yields through modern techniques, set up processing units, strengthen food security in the country, and get rid of excessive crops through exports.
One acre of agricultural land usually requires at least Rs100,000 for cultivation. Corporate farmers often obtain lands on lease for 5, 7 and 10 years from private landholders, a practice that helps both landowners and lease holders earn healthy profits.
Except for lands of the Sindh forest department, the official command area of Sindh spreads across approximately 12 million acres of private cultivable lands and is divided into three facets: Guddu Barrage with 2.4 million acres, Sukkur Barrage (7 million acres) and Kotri Barrage (2.6 million acres).
When it comes to a total cultivable area of the country, it spreads to 60 million acres across all provinces.
Talking to Business Recorder, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) Senior Vice President Nabi Bux Sathio said Pakistan needs innovation and climate resilient methods of farming. The first and foremost requirement is target-oriented research and its dissemination at the grossroots levels into the practical agriculture field.
“I am not opposed to corporate farming in Pakistan, but it should not be spread over state lands within provinces.“
He said nobody has any objection to massive landholding of a notable social and political figure who is one of the top corporate farmers of the country. He said those who have given lands to him on lease are glad to see improved crop yields on their lands.
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