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Express Tribune
13 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Farmers suffer Rs1.26tr blow
Listen to article A troubling trickle-down effect is unfolding across Pakistan's agricultural landscape, where a mix of government apathy, flawed policies and unchecked input costs is pushing the sector towards collapse. Once considered the backbone of the country's economy, agriculture, especially cotton, is showing signs of irreversible decline, with millions of farmers suffering unprecedented losses. What began with a crisis in wheat and maize has now extended to cotton, vegetables and fruits, exposing deep-rooted policy failures and the lack of state intervention. According to official data for January-June 2025, Pakistani farmers endured collective losses of over Rs1.26 trillion. The most significant blows came from rice and maize, together accounting for a staggering Rs1 trillion in damages. Export figures paint an equally grim picture – a drop of over $1 billion in total agro-export value compared to the same period in 2024. Among export volumes of major crops, maize fell by 70%, banana by 69%, mango by 40% and onion and garlic by 31%. The harvest of cotton, a critical crop for Pakistan's textile sector, has gone down by 30.7%, according to the Economic Survey 2024-25, underscoring its worst performance in a decade. This steep fall forced the country to import 854,263 metric tons of ginned cotton in just six months at a cost of $1.66 billion. Yet, despite this financial haemorrhage, local farmers remain unsupported. Early PCGA (Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association) figures confirm only 1.3 million bales have reached ginning factories so far this year, a sharp decline from past seasons. Heavy rainfall in Sindh and Punjab has devastated fields and fibre quality, further threatening an already crippled cotton industry. Progressive farmer Shahid Jutt from Vehari said that they were already struggling with poor returns and now climate change has turned against us. "But the real damage is from the system – no price support, no subsidies and no planning," he added. The cotton price, standing at Rs5,500-6,000 per maund in 2010-11 when the dollar was at Rs85, equated to around $70. Today, despite a nominal rise to Rs7,600 per maund, the dollar equivalent has dropped to just $27 due to currency depreciation. Meanwhile, input costs have surged more than fourfold, with fertiliser, diesel and electricity becoming unaffordable for many small and medium-scale farmers. Fertiliser offtake has dropped drastically – 29% for nitrogen and 15% for phosphates – simply because farmers cannot afford the recommended doses. Farmers are applying fewer nutrients, resulting in lower yields and further income losses. In vegetable production, prices have crashed. Onion growers, for instance, saw a price drop of over 55%, leaving thousands of smallholders on the brink of financial ruin. Agricultural economist Dr Imran Awan said that this is not just a bad year, it's a culmination of years of negligence. "Government budgets continue to ignore pressing needs of the agriculture sector. Research, extension services and seed development have been left to die. Climate change is hitting us hard, but we are not investing in resilience or planning for contingencies." In the early 2010s, Pakistan's cotton sector was thriving, with annual output between 11.7 and 14.8 million bales. Cotton exports during that time reached 1.1 million bales and imports were minimal. Fast forward to 2025 and cotton production is hovering below 7.5 million bales. This year, with rain-damaged fields and substandard fibre, output may even drop below 4 million bales, while imports continue to cross 5 million bales, despite many textile mills working below capacity or even shutting down. Input costs have surged uncontrollably. Diesel, essential for farm machinery, is now priced at Rs284 per litre. Electricity for irrigation has become a luxury, costing over Rs42 per unit, while farmers in neighbouring countries benefit from subsidised or free electricity for agricultural use. This cost imbalance is crushing Pakistan's competitiveness in the regional market. Pakistan Kissan Itehad President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar said that farmers are working harder than ever before but are being punished with shrinking profits and soaring costs. "Fertiliser is unaffordable, diesel eats up our earnings and there's no relief in sight. This crisis began when wheat support price was ignored, which demotivated farmers. Now cotton is suffering and the government remains silent," he said. PKI called for undertaking urgent reforms, including improved investment in agricultural R&D and seed technology, regulated input prices and the formation of an independent price and commodity export commission to ensure fair pricing and manage exports based on domestic supply. It also demanded a nutrient-based subsidy system for phosphatic and potassic fertilisers to ease farmers' financial burden.
Time of India
16 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Built For 5cr Decades Ago, Two Dams Now Need 400cr Repairs
1 2 Nagpur: The state cabinet on Tuesday approved an expenditure of over Rs400 crore for carrying out repairs on the Bor and Dham dams in Wardha district. The two dams were built 58 and 39 years ago respectively at a cost of around Rs5 crore each. Lack of maintenance over the years has affected the capacity of the canal distribution network of these two dams. With the actual irrigation coming down to less than a quarter of the original capacity, the dams now need repair works of Rs400 crore combined to be revived, said sources. The Bor dam is classified as a large-sized project with a total irrigation capacity of over 16,000 hectares. Dham, on the other hand, is a mid-sized project built to irrigate 9,000 hectares, said sources. Once an irrigation project is completed, it needs regular maintenance after it becomes operational. The Bor dam was completed in 1967 and Dham in 1986. The maintenance has been tardy over the years leading to a gradual decline in irrigation capacity, said sources. Bor would be getting Rs231 crore, while an amount of Rs197 crore has been approved for the Dham project. As against a capacity of more than 16,000 hectares, around 4,000 hectares are only irrigated through the Bor dam. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like What Is Your Writing Missing? Grammarly Install Now Undo Dham now covers 1,000 odd hectares as against a capacity of 9,000 hectares, said sources. Sources said it's not the govt that is to be blamed for it. The maintenance of a dam's infrastructure is carried out with the funds received from water users. This includes farmers who form users' cooperatives for drawing water from the dams. However, due to poor realisation of funds from users, the maintenance of the canal network could not take place, ultimately leading to the current situation, a source said. Apart from other repairs, 1,000 odd structures out of 1,484 will have to be rebuilt in the Dham project. Even the Bor dam will need reconstruction of 1,300 structures. The dam has been built by the Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC). The VIDC put up a higher estimate for carrying out repairs, which was eventually brought down at various levels. Earlier, a total estimate of more than Rs600 crore was put up before the authorities, which has now been cut down to Rs400 crore, said sources.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Crowded ‘reading park' forces aspirants back to corpn campus
Madurai: Just two years after its inauguration, the Tallakulam study centre in Madurai is struggling to accommodate the surging number of aspirants preparing for competitive exams. Dubbed 'reading park' by students, the centre was inaugurated by ministers P Moorthy and P T R Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, and built at a cost of ₹75 lakh, jointly funded by Namakku Naame Thittam (₹45 lakh) and MPLAD fund (₹30 lakh) of Lok Sabha MP Su Venkatesan. Located on Dr Thangaraj Salai near World Tamil Sangam, the open-air facility with sheds was laid out using tiles and paver blocks made by inmates of Madurai central prison. But the space is no longer enough. On Friday alone, more than 480 aspirants arrived by noon, with the first one checking in as early as 3.47am. Officials at the centre said around 800 students access it daily, with the facility open till 11pm. Lack of space has pushed over 250 aspirants back to the Madurai corporation campus nearby, where they sit on the floor throughout the day. "The study centre is a recent one. People have been preparing from the corporation campus for ages. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Stylish New Mobility Scooters Available for Seniors (Prices May Surprise You) Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Search Now Undo Many of those working in the corporation building today started off studying in the campus like us," said aspirant Ravi Kumar from Arapalayam. Many of them seek quieter or alternative places to study. B Gowtham from Melur prefers the Madurai corporation eco park half a kilometre away. "I go to the study centre only after 8pm when the crowd thins. The silence in the park helps me focus," he said. Sharmila K said she reads aloud while studying, which isn't possible at the crowded centre. Aspirants pay Rs5 daily to access the eco park. For others, basic amenities are an issue. "It's a 15-minute walk to the nearest accessible wash room in the corporation, and that too closes by 5pm," said Rubitha A from Thathampatti village. Su Venkatesan, MP, told TOI that plans are underway for a second study park in south Madurai. "We're identifying a location within city limits to benefit more aspirants," he said. This apart, steps are underway to create a dedicated study centre for persons with disabilities, he added.
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Irrigation, credit shortfall dog farm sector: Maha GR; Krishi Samruddhi Yojana launched
1 2 3 Nagpur: The state govt has acknowledged that agriculture, which remains the source of livelihood for nearly half of the population in Maharashtra, remains dogged by deficient irrigation, rising input costs, inadequate farm credit, and lack of accurate weather forecast mechanism. This was noted as it issued a govt resolution (GR) to launch Krishi Samruddhi Yojana to boost sustainable farming. M aharashtra is spread in over 307 lakh hectares of area. Out of this, more than 201 lakh hectares is farmland, notes the govt resolution. As much as 153 lakh hectares is under the kharif crops. The rabi crops are cultivated on 53.98 lakh hectares, and the area under summer crops stands at 3.5 lakh hectares. The GR in its prelude also says farmers are not able to make long-term investments due to lack of bank credit. The agriculture growth rate too has been erratic due to uncertain rains and pest attacks. All these challenges need to be addressed. There is a need to increase the output, capital investment in the sector, and create basic infrastructure, says the GR. The Krishi Samruddhi Yojana is expected to address these problems, it says. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Use an AI Writing Tool That Actually Understands Your Voice Grammarly Install Now Undo The GR coincides with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis' statement at Gadchiroli on Wednesday that the state will come up with schemes worth Rs5,000 crore for farmers' upliftment. Fadnavis' statement was in response to a question on the govt's move on changing the crop insurance scheme. This year, the state govt scrapped the Re1 crop insurance scheme, reverting to the earlier pattern. The cost of premium was entirely borne by the state with the farmers having to pay just a nominal Re1. The CM said the insurance scheme was changed because, most of the time, it would only leave the insurance companies profited. Instead, the govt has plans to invest Rs5,000 crore in the farm sector in a year, with Rs25,000 crore to be pumped in during next five years. The Krishi Samruddhi Yojana is in line with the announcement, said sources. The plan will deal with aspects like climate-resilient farming, creation of infrastructure, and innovation. The funds will be disbursed through the direct benefit transfer (DBT) mechanism. District-wise data on crop area, account holders, and the gross direct value of the crop sector will be maintained. This would also serve as the basis for the disbursal of funds. The GR also says Krishi Samruddhi Yojana has been introduced following the World Bank-funded Nanaji Deshmukh Krishi Samvardhini Prakalp. The project was run in select villages from 2018 to 2024. The final evaluation revealed that it led to an increase in output by 5% to 16%. Even the cost of production came down by 10% to 15%. The impact of erratic rainfall has also been reduced considerably, and the area under cultivation has increased by 25%.
Business Recorder
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Recorder
Gold price per tola falls Rs5,900 in Pakistan
Gold prices in Pakistan declined on Thursday in line with their decrease in the international market. In the local market, gold price per tola reached Rs359,000 after a loss of Rs5,900 during the day. As per the rates shared by the All-Pakistan Gems and Jewellers Sarafa Association (APGJSA), 10-gram gold was sold at Rs307,784 after it shed Rs5,058. On Wednesday, gold price per tola reached Rs364,900 after a gain of Rs3,700 during the day. The international rate of gold decreased on Thursday. As per APGJSA, the rate was at $3,363 per ounce (with a premium of $20), a loss of $61. Meanwhile, silver price per tola decreased by Rs24 to settle at Rs4,057.
