LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif on Wednesday emphasized on taking practical and permanent steps regarding agricultural reforms and said that the government will improve the rural economy through value addition in agricultural production.
Prime Minister’s Office media wing said in a press release that the Prime Minister chaired a high-level meeting on the proposals for the financial budget 2023-24 related to the agriculture sector.
The Prime Minister said that the agriculture sector is the backbone of the national economy and development of the country is not possible without innovation in this sector. He said that due to the current government’s Kisan package, a record production of wheat has been achieved this season.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister was informed about the details of the agricultural reforms during the last year. Due to the Prime Minister’s Special Farmers Package, not only the provision of loans on affordable terms was ensured to the farmers, but due to the timely supply of fertilizers and quality seeds, the country also got a bumper crop of wheat, which in the last ten years was better than the previous production. is more than .
It added that under the directives of the Prime Minister, better support prices on various crops led to the prosperity of farmers which would also boost the upcoming crops. The Prime Minister also directed to provide direct subsidy on fertilizers to the farmers. He said that resources will be allocated in the financial budget for quality seeds, modern machinery, provision of extension services and agricultural research.
The Prime Minister said that practical measures should be included in the financial budget to completely convert agricultural tube wells to solar energy.
The Prime Minister was also apprised about international quality seeds, import of seeds for animal breeding, working of agricultural institutions and implementation of Kisan package.
The meeting was briefed on the National Oilseed Policy aimed at reducing dependence on import of edible oil through supply of quality seed. It added that automatic seed certification and track and trace system is being introduced for supply of quality seed.
Describing the suggestions of the experts as very useful, the Prime Minister directed his adviser Ahad Khan Cheema to form two sub-committees to finalize the budget proposals related to the agriculture sector.
These committees will be tasked with concocting policy initiatives, including innovations, mechanization, supply of quality seeds, direct subsidy to farmers on fertilizers, solarization of tubewells and policy initiatives in this sector.
The committees will also ensure value addition in the agricultural sector for the purpose of exports and linkage of agricultural production with the global value chain to ensure timely supply of farmers’ produce to international markets.
Federal Ministers Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Rana Sanaullah, Tariq Bashir Cheema, Ahsan Iqbal, Engineer Khuram Dastgir, Makhdoom Murtaza Mehmood, Adviser to the Prime Minister Ahad Khan Cheema, Minister of State Dr. Mossadegh Malik, Ayesha Ghos Pasha, Special Assistants to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi were present in the meeting. attended. Bajwa, Jahanzeb Khan, Tariq Pasha, Governor State Bank of Pakistan, Chairman FBR and other senior officials. Apart from this, various eminent experts of modern agriculture and farmers also participated in the meeting.
The Prime Minister regretted that the previous government deliberately destroyed the agricultural research institutes established by him and directed the Agriculture Policy Institute to act immediately. He observed that during the current year they have ensured the prosperity of the farmers by increasing the best support price of wheat, cotton and sugarcane.
The Prime Minister also directed the establishment of small fruit processing and pulping units in the villages. The government will make the country self-sufficient by increasing the production of edible oil. With self-sufficiency in edible oil and other food grains, import dependence will be reduced, besides saving precious foreign reserves.
He further said that the government will ensure timely provision of loans to farmers on easy terms.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said on Wednesday that Pakistan attaches great importance to its cordial and broad-based relations with Belarus.
He also reaffirmed Pakistan’s determination to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation with Belarus in all sectors including economic, agricultural, science and technology, information technology, education and culture sectors.
In a press release, the media wing of the Prime Minister’s Office said that the Prime Minister received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Sergei Ilyin.
Foreign Minister Alinik conveyed President Lukashenko’s warm congratulatory message to the Prime Minister and highlighted that Belarus considers Pakistan as an important country in the region and appreciates its efforts to promote regional peace and stability.
The Prime Minister also apprised the Foreign Minister of the human rights violations committed by India in the illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJ&K).
Noting that Pakistan and Belarus will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2024, the Prime Minister welcomed continued high-level exchanges and engagements.
In this regard, he reiterated his invitation to the President of Belarus to visit Pakistan as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Advisor to Prime Minister on Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday.
According to a press release of the Prime Minister’s Office, in the meeting, he discussed the issues related to the ministry as well as the overall political situation of the country.
