Thread by @AamerBhandara

#Budget2021

1. Nothing allocated for cotton
2. Nothing for electricity relief for agriculture tubewell
3. Import bill increased due to food imports, last year performance can’t be blamed for locusts attack only, climate change impact, data and low productivity were the reasons.

4. This year performance of few crops were better but prices of international market of wheat and sugar were on rise and last year farmers were not beneficiaries but the middle men. This year numbers are yet to confirm because the wheat harvest season started in March April 2021

5. It’s great, Rs 150,000 for each crop to every farming family but by which mechanism? Banks or Kissan Card as credit card.
6. Rs. 200,000 for machinery and tractor purchase, these machines are too expensive.

Pakistan bureau of statistics shows the last results of agriculture machinery census from 2004, how to decide how much machinery we are lacking?
7. For agriculture and food security on 12 billion same as previous year mean nothing is improving in this than last year.

8. Water: for dams 91 billion but how much for local water governance at the farm level?
9. Climate Change budget increased from last year’s 6 to 14 billion but nothing for Climate Smart Agriculture Practices and adaptation plans minimizing risk and ensuring the food security

10. It is good that government is focusing on cold chain, storage facilities and markets but how? ADB report says, $1 billion horticulture losses due to less cold storage and USAID feasibility says $343 million in wheat, rice and maize due to less grain drying and storage.

11. Custom free vaccines for poultry and livestock is great move but how the small farmer will be benefitted who’s looking at the state?

12. I was expecting, more measures to enhance the water and crop productivity in agriculture sector, lowering the cost of production through agri energy tariff reduction, improved seed quality, localization and industrial investments in rural areas to reduce food wastage,

larger investments in IOT, ICT, artificial intelligence and digital agriculture to have accurate data and smart solutions and investment in local solutions of local available resouces productivity in agriculture and livestock.