Wheat, sugarcane: KBP demands announcement of support prices

LAHORE: The Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) has demanded immediate announcement of support prices of Rs 5,000 per 40kg for wheat and Rs 700 per 40kg for sugarcane, warning that farmers would launch countrywide protests if the government failed to ensure remunerative prices for their produce.

Addressing at a press conference in Lahore, KBP Central President Sardar Zafar Hussain Khan said agriculture contributed around 22 percent to the country’s GDP and provided livelihoods to nearly 60 percent of the population, yet only 2 to 3 percent of provincial or federal budgets was allocated to the sector.

He demanded that at least 10 percent of the national and provincial budgets be allocated to agriculture, arguing that increased investment in the sector would help reduce the cost of agricultural inputs and strengthen the national economy.

He questioned why successive governments continued to present budget deficits despite agriculture being described as the backbone of the economy. He said around 70 percent of the population remained deprived of basic facilities including education, healthcare, clean water and adequate food.

Comparing Pakistan with India, he said New Delhi had announced support prices for 22 crops for two years, whereas farmers in Pakistan continued to face uncertainty over the prices of major crops. He alleged that powerful vested interests were creating hurdles in the announcement of support prices for wheat and sugarcane.

Sardar Zafar warned that if farmers were not provided a reasonable return on their produce, the Kissan Board would participate in Jamaat-e-Islami chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman’s long march with a convoy of 200 vehicles and launch a major protest campaign. He also announced a countrywide protest on November 5.

He criticised the closure of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, saying it had caused serious economic difficulties for farmers and traders on both sides and resulted in losses of billions of dollars to Pakistan. He questioned who was responsible for the policy and why such measures were being pursued.

He also raised concerns over restrictions on urea supplies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, excessive electricity billing by WAPDA and declining profitability of citrus and other fruit crops. He alleged that these developments were not isolated incidents but part of a broader policy that could create an artificial food shortage and fuel inflation.

The KBP president urged farmers to remain organised, announcing that the board would soon undertake extensive visits across the country to mobilise farmers.

He warned that if the government failed to immediately announce support prices for wheat and sugarcane, farmers would take to the streets and block major roads, including Lahore’s Mall Road and routes leading to Islamabad.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026