Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said the government will announce new wheat prices after consultations with the provinces, stressing the need to ensure fair returns for farmers while keeping wheat affordable for consumers.
Chairing the first meeting of the National Agriculture and Food Security Council (NAFSC) in Islamabad, the prime minister said wheat prices should be determined before the sowing season so farmers receive appropriate compensation for their efforts.
Sharif said Pakistan had sufficient wheat to meet domestic requirements and warned that those involved in hoarding the commodity would not be given any concessions.
He described agriculture as the backbone of the national economy, saying the sector had the potential to put Pakistan on a path to economic growth in the short term. The federal government, he added, would extend all possible support to the provinces to develop agriculture.
Providing farmers with affordable fertilizer, quality seeds, modern machinery and equipment and technical skills for more efficient water use was among the government’s top priorities, he said. Ensuring fair prices for crops, particularly for small and medium-sized farmers, was also a priority.
The prime minister said the livestock sector had significant potential to increase exports and that the government was taking steps to expand exports of Pakistani halal meat.
He also praised initiatives by the Punjab government to support farmers, including through aquaculture, shrimp farming and direct subsidies under the Kisan Card programme. He commended the Sindh government’s efforts to promote farmer development and improve access to facilities.
During the meeting, the Punjab chief minister and Sindh’s food minister outlined provincial initiatives to support farmers. Officials also briefed participants on agricultural development measures in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Musadik Malik, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar and other cabinet members and advisers attended the meeting, along with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Sindh Agriculture Minister Makhdoom Mahboob Zaman and senior officials.
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