HYDERABAD (January 04 2004): Executive Committee of Sindh Abadgar Board (SAB) has expressed apprehensions over the agricultural policies formulated under the pressure of World Bank and IMF, saying it would ultimately lead to import of agricultural products with in couple of years.

The executive committee, which met here on Saturday under Abdul Majeed Nazamani, accused the government for surrendering to the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) pressure by allowing them to delay the crushing season by one month and fixing minimum price of sugarcane at Rs 41 per 40-kg.

The meeting pointed out that it was a flagrant violation of the Sugarcane Act and parliamentary committee's decision and alleged that the ill-conceived decision of the government had resulted in a loss of half a million tons of wheat.

The meeting observed that an amount of over Rs 2 billion, in respect of quality premium and difference of arrears of last year, were still outstanding against the mills.

Due to the non-payment of these outstanding dues, proper investment cannot be made in the running Rabbi season and next Kharif season crops, the committee observed and added that this will have negative impact on the production of wheat, sugarcane, cotton, rice and other crops.

The committee demanded payment of all the outstanding dues immediately, 50 percent subsidy on chemical fertilisers and pesticides, and waiver in power bills for tube-wells and lift-pumps.

It further demanded that the rates of diesel used for agriculture should be reduced, all taxes on sugar, which is an essential a food item, should be withdrawn and surplus sugar should be exported on the pattern of other countries.

The meeting cautioned the government that the entire social fabric of the society will be destroyed due to the inordinate increase in the fare of shipping lines specially the foreign shipping companies and reminded the government that 95 percent of total exports related to agricultural commodities are shipped by sea.

It claimed that presently an amount of $ 1600 million per annum was being paid to the international shipping lines.

The meeting urged the government to encourage shipping lines in private sector and grant 30 percent concession on exports on the pattern of China to save the agriculture sector from total destruction.

Through a resolution, the board while inviting the attention of the government to the notification issued on September 30, 2003, declaring some areas as calamity affected areas, observed that this was not enough and demanded all the outstanding dues should be totally waived.

Courtesy Business Recorder