The Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) has urged Sindh government to start opening wheat procurement centres in the province from March 1 as the crop’s harvest would begin from Feb 15 in lower Sindh. SCA general secretary Zahid Bhurgari said in a statement that seed and fertiliser as well as pesticides should be provided to farmers for the cultivation of cotton at subsidised rate. He said that wheat harvest would begin in Jhuddo, Naukot and Tando Jan Mohammad in Mirpurkhas district, Tando Bago in Badin district and parts of Umerkot district from Feb 15.

He called for issuance of notification for wheat support price of Rs4,000 per 40kg to end unrest among farmers. The Sindh government should ensure the federal government granted subsidy to flood-hit farmers for cultivating cotton, he said. He urged the federal government to declare agriculture emergency and said the government should not agree to imposition of new taxes on farm sector in its negotiations with International Monetary Fund.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP