Pakistani Agriculture in Crisis: Farmers’ Problems and Solutions

By: Sardar Aamir Khan Jandran (General Secretary, Kissan Ittehad Okara)

Agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan, but in the current situation, this sector is in a serious crisis. Farmers are facing problems like expensive electricity, additional bills, poor quality seeds and fertilizers, and substandard agricultural chemicals, which are increasing their production costs immensely.

Despite these challenges, farmers work hard day and night to produce crops despite the harsh weather conditions.

But when they hope to receive the reward for their hard work, they have to suffer losses due to the middleman mafia, unfair market rates and government policies.

Now, amidst these difficulties, the plan to impose tax on crop income will be tantamount to breaking the backs of farmers.

Farmers are already paying heavy taxes on fertilizers, seeds, sprays, land purchase and sale and electricity bills. In such a situation, more taxes on crop income are unacceptable to farmers. We demand that the government:

1. Avoid imposing more taxes on farmers.

2. Provide an immediate relief package to revive the agricultural sector.

3. Provide farmers with affordable fertilizers, quality seeds, and subsidies on electricity.

4. Fix profitable rates for crops so that farmers can get a fair reward for their hard work.

It is the responsibility of the government to seriously address the problems of farmers and take positive steps to strengthen this important sector of agriculture, and not push them into a whirlpool of difficulties by imposing more financial burdens.