PM Shehbaz Sharif orders to prepare agricultural reform plan

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the concerned authorities to formulate an emergency agricultural reforms plan within two days to facilitate the farmers and uplift the sector, ARY News reported on Thursday.   

According to details, the prime minister made the directives while chairing a high-level meeting on agricultural sector reforms held in Islamabad.

PM Shehbaz Sharif, who was presented the recommendations of eight sub-committees of different relevant sectors, said the reforms plan should be based on the recommendations of the said sub committees.

The prime minister said he would announce a comprehensive agricultural reforms plan very soon to achieve prosperity for the farmers, enhance agricultural production and reduce input prices.

The prime minister Shehbaz Sharif resolved that the government would provide facilities to the farmers on an emergency basis including low-cost seed and fertilizers.

The meeting resolved that the companies selling substandard seeds and pesticides would be done away with and that the relevant institutions would be facilitated for introduction of quality seeds.

The prime minister said the government would also provide modern equipment and facilitate the processs of loans. Moreover, the silos would be constructed to help the farmers store wheat and agricultural produces.

The prime minister also called for measures to enhance per acre yield before the cotton sowing season and ensure the provision of subsidy to the farmers on the agriculture inputs.

He asked the authorities concerned to keep into consideration the impacts of climate change, during the formulation of agricultural reforms. Moreover, he also called for running an awareness campaign to acquaint the farmers with modern agricultural methods.

The sub-committees constituted on the subjects including wheat, cotton, edible oil, fertilizers, agricultural research, usage of water, climate change and agricultural equipment briefed the prime minister.

At the meeting, the recommendations were presented on the yield of wheat, cotton and edible oil, provision of modern machinery on reduced rates, subsidy on urea and DAP, expected production and import, quality seeds, better utility of water and timely provision of loans to the farmers.