Leading agricultural stakeholders in Sindh have strongly criticized Pakistan's federal budget, arguing that it fails to adequately address the challenges facing the agriculture sector despite its critical importance to the national economy, as reported by Dawn.
Criticism Over Budget Allocation
Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Senior Vice President Nabi Bux Sathio stated that Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb did not devote sufficient attention to agriculture in his budget speech. He noted that no major incentive or significant policy measure was announced for the sector.
Sathio questioned the allocation of Pakistani Rupees (PKR) 4.18 billion for agricultural research, pointing out that the government has not clarified which specific areas would benefit from this funding. He stressed that climate change poses increasing risks to agriculture and called for investment in climate-resilient, high-yield seed varieties for key crops such as wheat, cotton, rice, and sugarcane.
Concerns Over Hybrid Seeds and Research Funding
The agricultural leader also expressed concern over the growing dependence on hybrid seeds in crops including rice, onion, and chili. He warned that excessive reliance on such seeds may not be sustainable in the long term. Furthermore, he argued that the PKR 4.18 billion earmarked for research is inadequate to meet the sector's growing needs.
Questioning the PKR 7.3 billion allocation for cold storage facilities, Sathio said the government has not clearly explained the nature of the proposed infrastructure. He emphasized that spending should be linked to transparency, accountability, and proper utilization.
Decline in Cotton Sector
Dawn further reported that Sathio described Pakistan's cotton sector as being in decline, forcing the textile industry to increasingly rely on imported cotton bales. He warned that the country will likely spend significant foreign exchange on importing six to seven million cotton bales again because domestic production has not recovered.
Lack of Support for SMEs
Chamber President Mohammad Saleem Memon and Senior Vice President Ahmed Idrees Chohan described the absence of a comprehensive package for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and small industries as a major shortcoming. They noted that SMEs account for a significant share of employment, local production, and economic activity, yet the budget did not introduce substantial programs for low-interest financing, industrial modernization, technology upgrades, or export support.
