Ayesha Mudassar

Pakistan’s agriculture sector has enormous potential to resolve the country’s economic challenges if implements are manufactured locally, dependence on imports is reduced and exports are expanded, experts said. Talking to WealthPK, Engineering Development Board (EDB) Policy Manager Asim Ayaz said work on the manufacturing policy of agriculture implements has been initiated in consultation with stakeholders to boost agricultural production.

“The policy includes eliminating duties and taxes on plant and machinery imports, establishing testing centers, promoting labour skills, and offering subsidised financing to local manufacturers,” he explained. Nazakat Nawaz, Scientific Officer at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), said the country’s agriculture sector is short on growth and productivity compared to many other countries with similar agro-climatic conditions.

“The most commonly cited constraints include usage of low-yielding seeds, inadequate water availability, insufficient application of fertilisers, and farmers’ poor access to agricultural credit,” he mentioned. Moreover, the sector has been hit hard due to skyrocketing inflation, reversal of subsidies, imposition of high electricity tariffs, and climate issues. He said the agriculture implements manufacturing initiative would help in implementing innovative agricultural technologies, improving yield per acre, and reducing the import bill.

Dr Nur Ullah, another Scientific Officer at NARC, told WealthPK that the use of technology is constantly increasing, gaining acceptance, and becoming essential for all kinds of industries to compete in global markets as it boosts output, reduces costs, and saves time. Therefore, he said, investment in modern agricultural technologies is necessary. In addition to the policy, the development of a comprehensive agriculture strategic framework with a clear vision is the need of hour.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk