PM Shehbaz Sharif Chairs First Meeting of National Agriculture and Food Security Council

Agriculture is the backbone of the national economy and has the potential to put it on the path to growth in the short term: PM
ISLAMABAD Report By Muhammad Saleem— Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has said that agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and possesses vast potential to steer the country towards growth in a short period. He was chairing the first meeting of the National Agriculture and Food Security Council (NAFSC) in Islamabad.
The prime minister said the federal government would provide all possible support to the provinces for agricultural development. He said providing farmers with fertiliser, quality seeds, modern machinery and technical assistance for better use of water at low cost was the government’s top priority.
Shehbaz Sharif said ensuring fair prices for farmers, particularly small and medium-scale growers, was a priority of the government. He said the livestock sector also had vast potential to increase the country’s exports, adding that measures were being taken to enhance exports of Pakistani halal meat.
The prime minister said sufficient wheat was available to meet domestic requirements and no leniency would be shown to those involved in hoarding. He said determining the right price of wheat before the sowing season was essential so that farmers could receive appropriate compensation for their labour.
He made it clear that the decision regarding the wheat price would be taken in consultation with the provinces and announced soon after the consultations were completed. The prime minister said the government wanted farmers to receive a fair price for wheat while consumers should get affordable wheat.
During the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Sindh Food Minister Makhdoom Mahboob-uz-Zaman highlighted provincial measures for farmers’ development, aquaculture, shrimp farming and the provision of direct subsidies to farmers through the Kisan Card.
Briefings were also given on measures taken for agricultural development in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar, federal ministers Rana Tanveer Hussain, Dr Musadik Malik, Jam Kamal Khan, Ahad Khan Cheema, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Khalid Hussain Magsi and Mian Moeen Wattoo, advisers Rana Sanaullah and Haroon Akhtar, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Sindh Agriculture Minister Makhdoom Mahboob-uz-Zaman and senior officials concerned.