Aug 18, 2020: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research has transferred an amount of Rs5,690.74 million to provinces and regions during last two years

The amount was transferred under Prime Minister National Agricultural Emergency Program for the development of agriculture and livestock sectors in the country.

Despite the financial constraints, the incumbent government had put the agriculture sector on its top priority agenda and enhanced agriculture spending from Rs 1 billion to over Rs12 billion in order to achieve sustainable economic growth in the country.

Soon after assuming the powers, the government of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf evolved a mechanism for mechanization of agriculture sector and initiated projects to enhance output of all major cash crops and introducing high value crops for reducing reliance on imported food items, said two years performance report of current government launched here Tuesday.

Besides, special budget provisions of Rs955 million were also made to cope with locust threat and fiscal package of Rs50 billion was announced to give relief to farmers in agriculture credit, subsidy on fertilizers, tractor manufacturing in wake of COVID-19 Pandemic, it added.

The current government was also determined to provide better rates of returns to farmers and decided to set indicative pieces of major cash crops like wheat, sugarcane and cotton

Cotton minimum support price was referred to Economic Coordination Committee of the Cabinet for approval.

The government during its first two years initiated projects with objectives to dramatically increase yields of major crop and boost adoption of oil seeds, besides harnessing untapped potential of fisheries, conserve and increase productivity of water and restructure livestock business model.

As many as 13 projects were identified under agriculture emergency program in crop sector, livestock,water conservation, fisheries and livestock sectors to enhance the productivity and farm income all across the country.

These programs were initiated with an estimated cost of Rs 277.336 billion with federal share of Rs 81.76 billion and it span on 5 years.

Sofar, the federal government had provided Rs 5,690.74 million for these 13 projects, besides providing Rs321.21 million for project management units to enhance crop, water, livestock and fisheries productivity for increasing income of small land holders.

In order to enhance per-acre output of major crops, 519.89 million was provided for wheat enhancement and 318.44 million for rice enhancement during last two years.

Meanwhile, 91.80 million was transferred to provinces for productivity enhancement of sugarcane and Rs190 million was transferred to provinces for National Oil Seed Enhancement Programme, adding that an amount of Rs3,994 million was provided for National Programme for the Improvement of Water Courses in Pakistan Phase-Il.

Pakistan was ranked among the most water stressed countries of the world and incumbent government was keen to conserve water resources.

The above mentioned amount was used for the construction and maintenance of water courses.

In order to exploit the aquaculture potential in the country, government had identified areas for shrimp farming cluster development and trout farming in north areas and provided Rs112.56 million.

For the development of livestock sector, it said that Rs135.31 million was transferred under Prime Minister Initiative for save the calf and Rs 93.4 million for calf feedlot fattening program , he added.

Besides, in wake of COVID-19 Pandemic, the government had also announced fiscal relief package of over Rs50 billion for farmers in order to provide them agriculture inputs on subsidized rate.

The government had also approved an amount of Rs6.861 billion under Agriculture Fiscal Package in order to provide financial relief in terms of markup subsidy on bank’s loans to the most deserving sub segment of farming community.

An amount of Rs1.5 billion Sales Tax subsidy on locally manufactured tractors was also approved in order to promote mechanization in agriculture sector to enhance per-acre crop output in the country.

During current fiscal the government had allocated Rs 12,000 million in its Public Sector Development Program, adding that Rs1,250 million was allocated for 12 new schemes 10,750 million for the completion of 24 on going projects.

In order to enhance cotton production, the government had also announced subsidized import of pink boll warm rope to overcome the pest attack which destroyed standing crop over vast areas.

The intervention would help to reduce the pest attack and sustainable cotton crop growth.

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