Farmers in Sindh Protest, Want Govt to Redress Problems

Although the government of Pakistan had extended full moral support to the farmers protesting in India, it has overlooked the local growers who are compelled to protest every day in different cities of Sindh as their onion and tomato crops are being purchased at prices much lower than the market rates.

The farmers of Sindh complain that it is not compensatory to the effort and expense took to grow crops. The reason behind this is the market flooded with tomatoes and onions imported from the neighboring countries including India, Afghanistan, and Iran.

The farmers in different cities of Sindh including Hyderabad, Badin, and Jhudo are staging protests every day as they are getting the cheapest rates for yield.

Their plight doesn’t end here as they cannot export the vegetables too due to the ban by the federal government.

It was only last week that the government of Pakistan officially celebrated National Farmers’ Day second time on December 18 in acknowledgment of the farmers’ contribution to the economy of the country.

The initiative was taken by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) however it has turned a blind eye to the difficulties of the farmers of Sindh.

Further, the Pakistan government also extended its moral support to the protesting farmers in India but it is ignorant of the peasants who are staging protests in one of its provinces.

The protesting farmers demanded the government introduce a new policy for imported tomatoes while it should initially prefer buying the vegetables from the local farmers to save them from losses.

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They said that the crop of tomatoes and onions they sowed after the monsoon season was now reaped and harvested.

However, the market is engulfed with tomatoes imported from India, Afghanistan, and Iran. Owing to this, their crop is no more profitable and the rates offered were not even enough to cover their expenses.

The farmers said that they would extend the protest and block the borders of Sindh if the government continued following its policy.

Further, the Sindh government also called for the removal of the ban on the export of vegetables to alleviate the troubles of the local farmers.

While talking to News360, Sindh Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahoo demanded the federal government to immediately ban the import of onions as its bumper crop is expected this year in the province.

He told that yield of around 760,000 tons of onions is expected in Sindh this year.

Therefore, the minister called for the federal government to ban the import and remove restrictions from the export of vegetables.

The total production of onions in Sindh is around 563,000 tons every year.

However, an additional yield of around 200,000 tons is expected in the province this year.

He criticized the policies of the federal government and said that the local farmers were paying a heavy price due to the policies devised by the center.