Need stressed to upgrade agriculture sector

Federal Commerce Secretary Zafar Mahmood on Saturday stressed the need for developing a value-addition chain in agriculture sector by making higher investment and introducing technology.
Over the years, value-addition in agriculture sector was neglected, but now we have to upgrade agriculture sector and given its right place, he said while speaking at an agriculture conference held on the sidelines of Dawn Agri Expo at Karachi Expo Centre on Saturday. He proposed that the government should privatise or outsource agriculture research and seed development programme to get maximum benefits for the sector. For the last 60 years, the country could only develop a value-addition chain for cotton crop, and all other agriculture produces remained neglected. Similarly, Zafar Mahmood suggested that the Utility Stores Corporation be also privatised for developing a better supply chain because the corporation already has widespread presence across the country. He said that when Pakistan was created, there was no industry except land, water and hard working farmers, but unfortunately the agriculture sector remained neglected due to inherent weaknesses and flaws which kept the sector suppressed even today. He said that if one visits a super store, a large number of cereals are available on the shelves, but most of them are imported, though they could be produced locally. Unfortunately, he said, supply chain could not be developed, and huge agriculture extension services are not available to small farmers because most of these benefits are driven by big landlords. Similarly, he said, distribution of irrigation water be also ensured so that small and medium-sized growers get their due share. The role of the provincial governments, he said, could not be neglected, particularly when landholding, its registration and many other matters directly fall under their jurisdiction. The land registration should be computerised to minimise litigation so that farmers could put their entire efforts towards higher production. There is an urgent need for developing an efficient infrastructure so that farm produces could become competitive in the world market, he maintained. He, however, said that many countries have different conditions which exporting countries have to meet.

Even best kinno of Sargodha district was not being exported a few years ago. Now some 150 latest processing units, including washing and packing, have been established by investors from Karachi which has resulted in exports to the tune of $100 million in the last fiscal year. Dr Ali Abbas Qazilbash of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in his welcome remarks said that currently the organisation was helping Pakistan through direct technical assistance, investment and technology transfer programmes. He said Pakistan needs to have better productivity and value-addition products in the sector through use of latest technology, which can maximise benefits of high value agri exports. Dean and director of Institute of Business Administration (IBA) Dr Ishrat Hussain in his keynote address said that at the time of independence Pakistan had 75 per cent labourers associated with the agriculture sector that was contributing 50 per cent to the national the GDP, but now it has decreased to 40 per cent and 20 per cent respectively. Chief executive officer of Engro Foods Ltd Afnan Ahsan talked about the challenges and opportunities the dairy industry of the country had been facing. He said that the value of dairy component of the agriculture sector is Rs500 billion which is 15 times higher than the mango market, but it is not even in the thought process of the government policies. Chief Executive of Dawn Group of Newspapers Hameed Haroon said that the presence of 50 progressive farmers from Sindh in the event was a strong indicator that the countrys average yield of agriculture produce could be improved. He said that there was a need to bring a green-friendly agriculture revolution in the country. The country has to ensure a knowledge-based change in agriculture sector, so that value-addition should be cost-effective, he added.