Potato growers threaten to dump crop in canals

LAHORE - Potato growers all over the country have warned the government they would dump their whole crop in the canals as was done in 1989 by the farmers of Okara if potatoes import from India is not stopped. They were of the view that a bag of 120kg potatoes cost them up to Rs 1,500-1,800 but they were forced to sell this at wholesale market at the rate of Rs 1,000, suffering a loss of Rs 500 per bag instead of making some earnings.
Talking to The Nation, farmers said that they were already suffering the loss but government has driven the final nail in their coffin by starting import of potatoes from India.
They said the dealers get potato bag of 120kg from India at Rs 600 and sell it at Rs 1,000 and earn a hefty amount of Rs 400 per bag just in minutes.
They said this import will destroy the potato crop in the country, putting the lives of growers in more trouble, which are already in the clutches of dealers and middlemen.
Rao Yasir Iqbal, Managing Director of Mazharabad Farm in Depalpur, said farmers have to bear the cost of DAP, seed, levelling of field, ploughing, sowing, irrigation, labour and transportation. After a long hard work they earn nothing except loss, he added.
He said that Okara is the biggest market in the country as best potatoes are produced in the district. He asked the govt that potato growers should be given incentive to enhance their crop. He said that Pakistani potatoes have great demand in the Middle East, Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan and by exporting the commodity to said countries Pakistan could earn billion of dollars in exchange, he added.
Ibrahim Mughal, Chairman Agri Forum pointed out that in Pakistan farmers have to spend Rs 65,000 per acre of potato crop while Indian farmers just spend Pak rupees of 25,000 per acre potato field.
"Urea is being sold for Rs 800 in Pakistan while the same is available in India for Rs 400. Hear farmers get agri loans on up to 15-18 per cent markup while Indian growers avail this facility on markup of just 9 per cent. Indian farmers are provided electricity at Re1 per unit while Pakistan govt gives this facility to its poor farmers for Rs 3-4 per unit. Pesticide is being sold to farmers in India at half rate than that of Pakistani farmers," observed the Agri Forum chairman.
Farmers have alleged that urea and DAP traders constantly hoard the DAP Fertilizer in their own interest and sell it to the farmers on higher prices at a suitable time. They pointed out that pesticides companies and businessmen always think about themselves as to how the rates of pesticides could be further raised they never consider the cultivators that how they would bear the ever-increasing costs of inputs.
Another representative of farmers said that at this moment farmers' real problem is irrigation due to scarcity of water. He maintained that their lands are fast turning into barrens due to non-availability of water. Canals have dried up and just 25 per cent of their total cultivable land could be irrigated with this scanty water and after the setting up of Pakistan Chamber of Agriculture there would be a proper platform and relevant representatives to voice this matter before the government.
Farmers demanded the government to set up a separate Chamber of Agriculture, which solely represent the interests of growers- because existing chambers of commerce and industries are not the real representatives of the farmers. He said that 'Pakistan Chamber of Agriculture' is the need of the hour and the government should help this large community in establishing a forum like that of manufacturers and industrialists 'chambers'.
He said that all agriculture-related investment will be made through this proposed 'Pakistan Chamber of Agriculture' as agri chambers representative will guide the foreign investors properly and in a better way.