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W
heat Problems Faced By the Farmers &
Next Strategies
2002
Organized
by Green Circle Organization (GCO) and Action Aid
Report by Gull Sadia Altaf
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Agenda of Meeting
Last Year Situation
Present Year Situation
Government strategies
Issues
Recommendations
How
farmers can be organized
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The
agricultural sector is the single largest sector of Pakistan,
contributing 25% of the GDP and providing employment to 44% of
the workforce. Its overall growth rate of 4.2% since 1978 and
self-sufficiency in major food items could be termed as
satisfactory. However, as the biggest user of land, water and
human resources, agriculture sector faces some basic
challenges to sustain its heavy agenda. A major challenge is
feasibility of small grower’s agriculture in the context of
increasing physical and economic stress, shrinking markets and
competition with high investment corporate agriculture. The
increasing cost of agricultural inputs and unfavorable market
conditions turning the subsistence agriculture into unfeasible
business.70% are those farmers who have less then 12Acer land
holding and are facing problems due to the agricultural
policies and corruption.
Since last
three years due to the hard work of the farmers there is a big
increase in the yield of wheat so the government stoped the
import of wheat to save the foreign exchange. On the other
hand there is increase in the problems and frustration of the
small farmers i.e. low price of wheat instead of the price
which was decided by the government i.e. 300/= rupees per 40
Kg.
Present
harvesting of the wheat has bean started now and the pleasant
thing is that government has decided to purchase all wheat
till last grain of the harvested crop. It is being expected
that the production of the wheat will be not less then the
last year due to good climatic conditions. The important
problem is that a huge amount last year’s of wheat is still
present in stores. Few basic issues which should be given some
special attention are;
-
Has Government purchased
enough number of the jute bags to purchase wheat ?
-
Are wheat purchasing centers
enough in number to accommodate all the wheat production
as it was in the last year( reality is this the number of
centers is half of the last years)
-
Government workers have
notified that they will purchase only graded(export
quality) wheat
-
According to the government
notification how wheat will be purchased by the local
government representatives
as Arhati and Patwaries are also members of
purchasing centers.
-
What is the role of Arhties in
the process of buying of wheat?
By keeping
in view the demand of the situation Green Circle Organization
(GCO) and Action Aid arranged a meeting to get a view of the
situation through discussion with all relevant personalities
related to the wheat issue 2002. Social scientists,
Philanthropist and professionals from various field of life
i.e. welfare organizations, member of local government, Small
farmers and journalist attended the meeting (Annex I), the
level of their participation showed the importance of the
issue.
Agenda
of the meeting
The main
purpose was the over view of present problems of the small
farmers, strategies introduced by the government to over come
the problems and to start a campaign on Punjab level to
resolve the problems.
Issues
which were taken under discussion during the meeting were;
1.
Situation faced by the small farmer during the last
year(2001) with reference to the wheat selling
2.
Present situation of wheat market
3.
Strategies of Government
4.
Which steps should be taken in the present situation
5.
How these steps can be facilitated
Situation
faced by the small farmer during the last year (2001) with
reference to the wheat selling
Due to
the high yield on one side government saved the foreign
exchange but on the other hand small farmers faced the
following problems in the wheat market
·
Last year the rate which was announced was 300/=
Rupees per 40Kg. but small farmer could not sell his wheat on
the announced rate due to the following reasons
The
middle man didn’t give the actual cost to the small farmers
by observing their weak point of storage problem, due to fewer
resources, which was not a problem for big land lords
Small
farmers were unable to bribe the middleman so they made the
grading, an issue and gave the less prices but on the other
hand big land lords enjoyed the higher rate i.e. more than
300/=rupees pre 40 Kg
Less
facilities and low information of cleaning wheat was the major
cause of low grading which also caused much problem to farmer
in market
Importance
of grading was not clear to the farmer that’s why they
didn’t made the actual efforts also.
·
Discouraging behavior of government officials
(food inspector) involved in the process by corruption in the
distribution of the jute bags
·
Due to low resources it was difficult for the
small farmers to pay Call Deposit for the purchase of jute
bags
·
In some areas
commission agent exploit the farmer due to the less awareness
regarding payment procedures and the producer got nothing till
now against his crop (Bahawalnagar)
·
Wheat delivery charges were high which were
beyond the capacity of small farmer
·
Corruption was the one reason which was a
problem during last year. Farmers claimed that food inspectors
add some sand through bamboo during checking as they should be
bribed
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Case
Study
Ms
Fehmida a field coordinator working with the Green
Circle Organization Dipalpur told that last year during
the season of wheat it was reported by the community
members during the community meetings “behavior of the
food inspector is very rough with the farmers and
Arhties are getting jute bags instead of farmers”
To
resolve the problem and stop the corruption they made a
group to arrange a meeting with the Assistant
Commissioner but the AC refused to listen them and
didn’t show cooperation. In response the community
blocked the road and faced lathii Charge by the police.
They
got their right after suffering alot
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Present
situation of wheat market
Like last
year, the yield of wheat is very good this year as well, which
may help the government in earning foreign exchange but the
thing which should be noticed that the problems which are
being faced by the farmers this year are similar as those of
last year. Following are the problems of this year in addition
to the above mentioned problems
·
Reduction of purchasing centers which may cause
an increase in the transportation cost and chances of
corruption.
·
Shortage of Jute bags.
·
Corruption in the government department
·
Role of the middle man is threatening for the
small farmer
·
Condition of wheat grading put by the government
in the wheat purchasing process
·
Late announcement of loans for the farmers for
the construction of stores.
Government
Strategies
Government is announcing its
strategies in accordance to the situation which is as follow;
1.
Government has announced that they will purchase only
graded wheat which should not include weeds, sand, pebbles,
dirt and mud particles to ensure the quality. The Food
Department has mentioned the following points
i.e.
From the wheat crop extra
weeds should be remove before the cultivation.
Proper working of blower
should be ensured to remove the husk properly form the wheat
Proper strainer should be
used to separate the small sized grains and extra seeds of
other weeds
Before filling bags strainer
should be used to remove the extra weeds and small sized
grains.
(Jung
10th April)
2.
Facilities which the government is going to provide to
the farmers are;
Food
department will purchase the wheat from specified centers from
15th April 2002. through out the province
Government
will also pay the delivery charges which are 2/= rupee per bag
wheat
purchasing centers are also formed in specified rural area
along with the stores of food department
Government
has a huge amount of jute bags and purchasing centers will
provide it from the first week of the April
50/=
Rupees per jute bag and 10/= rupees for PP bags is required as
a call deposit OR Personal
Guarantee will be acceptable till the range of 50 bags
Farmer
can get jute bags by giving an application on simple paper
with a copy of N.I.C to the center in-charge
In the
distribution of jute bags representatives of local government
are being involved. In the case of any complaint one has to
inform in the complaint cell formed in Inspection committee of
wheat purchasing center and district food controller or it can
also be informed in district government office
(Jung
12th April)
3.
Punjab has also removed all limitations in the
transportation of the wheat throughout Pakistan (Jung 13th
April)
4.
252 Purchasing centers have been formed and a committee
comprising of six members have been formed to facilitate the
farmers(Jung 13th April)
5.
98% jute bags have been provided to the
centers(Ref.Jung 13th Aplril)
Issues
came out of the discussion
Following issues came in
front
·
Promises of the government regarding purchasing
of wheat till last grain is actually referendum lolypops
·
Local government is not playing role according
to their powers
·
Purchasing of the wheat is being delayed or is
not according to announced date
·
Number of the purchasing centers have been
reduced and in some places totally omitted
·
Division of jute bags is not equal
·
Transportation cost has increased which is also
an economic burden on small farmer
·
As the number of the wheat purchasing centers is
decreased so they will become over scuttle and chances of
corruption will also increase
·
Jute bags are not in access of the land less
farmers due to the present situation and requirements for
their issuing process
·
High
call deposit which is 50/= rupees per bag is also a barrier
for the small farmer in getting jute bags.
·
Limitation of wheat grading in purchasing
process has been announced very late which should be in the
sowing season
·
Due to late announcement of grading limit it is
very difficult for the farmer to fulfill this condition
·
Loans offered by the government to the farmers
are also very late. Now there is no time to construct the
stores
·
It is very difficult for the small farmers to
build stores due to the lack of resources.
·
The wheat of the last year is still present in
stores of the government so apparently it looks as if the government also has shortage
of storage facilities
·
In barren areas the size of grain is small which
is not up to the announced grading standard of the government
·
Provided graders are not working properly
·
Legal right of government concerning the demand
from the farmers regarding grading is the Fair Average Quality
wheat. This can be easily achieved through simply straining
the wheat but the government is demanding for the export
quality wheat. Export quality can only be ensured by the
exporter
·
The people who have approach are getting the
announced price against the low quality wheat on the other
hand small farmers are unable to get jute bags as well as
announced price of the wheat.(Jung 26-04-2002)
Recommendations
and Solution
Following recommendations
have been sorted out after detailed discussion;
- Each Union Council should
have its own Wheat Purchasing Center
- Wheat should be purchased
on the priority basis from the small farmer
- To decrease the
expenditure of small farmers the use of PP bags in place
of jute bag should be researched
- Billing of the tube wells
should be bi- annually instead of monthly basis
- Each union Council should
have one committee and representatives should include,
NGOs working with the farmers, small farmers, member of
District Support Committee, and journalists to run the
balance system
- Government should make a
three year agricultural policy regarding Wheat. While
making these policies representation of small farmers
should be ensured according to the to their percentage
- For the purchasing of
wheat each region should make a regional policy and
purchasing of the wheat should start with the ripening of
the wheat
- District committee should
be established on the same pattern as of union council
committee which should have working capacity up to the market(Mundi)
- Government should provide
farmers with the facility of piking up the wheat from
their fields
- To decrease the
expenditures of the farmers, use of PP bag in the place of
jute bag should be considered.
- In the policy making
stages representatives of the small farmer should must be
involve
- Minimum rate of the wheat
should be 350/= rupees per 40 kg and cost of the graded
wheat should be more then it.
- Till the complete process
of the wheat selling banks should not demand for the
repayment of the loans
- Payments of the last year
wheat purchased by the government should be released.
there are examples in the area of Bahawalnagar where still
farmers have to receive their payments of the last year
- This year condition of
grading has been announced with a long delay so this year
this condition must be cancelled.
- Farmers should unite
themselves to resolve their all problems and the their
point of view must reach to the policy makers.
How
farmers can be organized
To organize the farmers it
was decided during the meting that one committee should be
formed which will consist of volunteers who would be able to
convey the basic issues regarding wheat problems to the higher
authorities or policy makers.
In the meeting few members
volunteer them for the committee (list attached in the annex
II)
- Next step was decided that
the representative will organize a meeting with the
Governor practically resolve the problems
- Committee can also request
to the president for meeting
- Members of this committee
will coordinate on local level by forming groups on the
grass root level so that the basic issues can be
projected.
- Green Circle Organization
GCO Action aid and will Coordinate
For more information email : gullsadiaaltaf@msn.com
Views presented
here are of those of the writer and Pakissan.com is not liable
them.
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