- Continuous challenges plaguing Pakistan’s agriculture sector
Interview with Syed Nadeem Shah — a progressive farmerÂ
PAGE: Tell me something about yourself, please:
Syed Nadeem Shah: I have done my BSC(HONS) DBS, MBA. I have been looking after my agriculture farms for preceding fifty years. I grow cotton, wheat, rice, onion, sugarcane etc besides mangoes, lemon, banana. Now, I am trying to promote oil seed production to reduce the import bill of edible oil for country. I represent farmers at federal and provincial level in different committees
PAGE:Â How would you comment on the wheat crop this year and price mechanism?
Syed Nadeem Shah: Wheat harvest was a bumper crop, as expected. Nature fully supported. Wheat price took a nose dive due to ill planning of federal and provincial governments. Wheat was imported at the time of harvest. Secondly, there was no procurement of wheat by Punjab government. Sindh government reduced procurement target from 14m to 9 m tonnes. Lately started procurement, gunny bags gone to influential, businessmen, dealers. Farmer hardly got 10%. Rest was mostly sold out as reported. Farmers suffered a lot.
PAGE:Â What is your standpoint on the rice output and availability of water during the current season?
Syed Nadeem Shah: I hope for good harvest of rice crop if timely water availability is assured. Flood canals are off taking, dams have been filled and Sindh been deprived of early Kharif crop. Sindh planting season is one month ahead of Punjab. Secondly mismanagement, non maintenance of canals is in vogue.
PAGE:Â Your perspective on fertiliser price and availability during the current season:
Syed Nadeem Shah: Fertiliser prices are sky rocketing, artificial shortages created to black market fertilisers. Despite billions of subsidies in gas, benefit is not given to farmers. Companies, dealers and hoarders are on the receiving end. Urea production in Pakistan is more than consumption. Question is of availability, affordablity and accessibility.
PAGE:Â How do you view the progress of agriculture sector in Sindh?
Syed Nadeem Shah: Agriculture sector has a very bright future. It needs agriculture policy to be planned and implemented with consistency and monitoring. Market access to farmers and raise consumer markets too. Lack of will at both federal and provincial governments are a big hinderance in progress.