According to media reports, prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced a special financial package to promote agriculture sector and provide farmers, particularly those in the flood-hit areas, free seeds, inexpensive loans and to bring down prices of fertilizers and electricity for tubewells.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad recently, he said “the economic progress of Pakistan is dependent on agriculture.”

It is heartening to note that the government has responded to the woes of farmers, particularly those affected by floods, in a meaningful manner. It is needless to say that ours is essentially an agrarian economy. Hence the need for making increased investment in this sector.

Availability of water, seeds, implements is critical to equipping farmers’ community with the required wherewithal that they need for the agriculture purpose. Agriculture is the only sector that can give the country’s beleaguered economy a major breakthrough. The PM, therefore, deserves a lot of praise.

Sadiq Husain (Lahore)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022