Farmers’ bodies demand govt announce ‘revival package’

LAHORE: Various farmers’ organizations have urged the government to take immediate notice of the massive losses sustained by rural areas of Punjab due to the recent floods. They have called for the launch of a comprehensive ‘revival package’—in addition to ongoing rescue and relief efforts—to help restore the livelihoods of farmers and stabilize the rural economy.

“The revival package should include financial assistance, quality seeds, and other essential agricultural inputs to enable farmers to sow the next crop and bring the rural economy back on track,” farmer leaders demanded.

Dr. Zafar Hayat, President of the Farmer Bureau of Pakistan (FBP) hailing from Jalalpur Peerwala—an area severely affected by the floods, told this correspondent that the provincial government had already placed farmers under significant financial stress by not announcing the wheat support price or buying their grains earlier this year. Now, he said, the floods have further devastated their hard-earned efforts.

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“The government should immediately begin work on a revival plan to allow farmers to prepare for the next season without undue financial burden,” he urged. “This package must include direct financial support, high-quality seeds for upcoming crops, and other necessary inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.”

Khalid Hussain Bath, President of Kissan Ittehad Pakistan (KIP), stated that the floods have “broken the back of the farming community,” with nearly 2.5 million acres of cultivated land destroyed. Key crops such as rice, cotton, millet, and oilseed have been ruined, and around 20,000 large and 20,000 small villages have been devastated across Punjab, he added.

For the past two years, the government has not been purchasing wheat from farmers,” Bath claimed. “Now, wheat is being sold in the market at Rs. 3,000 to 3,500 per maund, whereas during the harvest season, it had to be sold at throwaway prices due to the government’s indifference.”

He alleged that the Punjab government had abandoned the farming sector, offering no tangible support. “No practical steps have been taken to assist the farmers. While we are drowning in floodwaters, the rulers are busy posing for photos,” he said. Issuing a stark warning, Bath added: “If farmers do not get justice, the country’s food security will be at risk. If the farmer lives, the country lives.”

Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister Punjab Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani visited flood-affected areas and relief camps on the directions of the Chief Minister Punjab and reviewed the ongoing relief activities for the flood victims and directed to expedite the process.

The minister stated that the district administration, in coordination with the Punjab Agriculture and Livestock Departments, is actively engaged in providing relief to those affected by the floods. Staff from both departments has been deployed across 429 flood relief camps established under the district administration’s supervision. Additionally, more than 1,200 field personnel from the Agriculture Department are working on the ground to deliver aid.

Under the Agriculture Department’s relief program, 725 trolleys of green fodder have been distributed for livestock belonging to flood-affected families, along with 1,424 carts and loader rickshaws loaded with additional fodder. Furthermore, 8,300 maund of wheat straw have been provided to support animal care, while 14 bulldozers have been handed over to the district administration to reinforce protective embankments.

Minister Kirmani also highlighted the efforts of the Livestock Department, noting that 3,466 of its staff are currently stationed at relief camps. Their services have facilitated the treatment of 75,161 animals. To prevent the outbreak of disease, over 520,000 animals have been vaccinated, and 528 tons of animal feed have been distributed among affected households.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025