Agriculture Leaders Demand Clearer Support
Leaders of Pakistan’s farming community have criticised the federal budget, saying the agriculture sector was largely ignored.
Sindh Chamber of Agriculture Senior Vice President Nabi Bux Sathio said Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb did not give proper attention to agriculture in his budget speech.
He said the speech offered no major incentive or meaningful step for farmers. He added that the sector needed urgent support due to rising climate risks.
Mr Sathio said the government had allocated Rs4.18 billion for research. However, he said the budget did not explain which areas would receive the funding.
He stressed that Pakistan needs climate-resilient and high-yield seeds for major crops. These include wheat, cotton, rice and sugarcane.
He warned that dependence on hybrid seeds in rice, onion and chilli may not be sustainable in the long run.
Cotton, Livestock and Cold Storage Concerns Raised
Mr Sathio said the research allocation was not enough for a sector facing major challenges.
He also questioned the Rs7.3 billion allocation for cold storage facilities. He said the government should clearly explain the type of infrastructure being planned.
He added that all allocations must be linked with transparency, accountability and proper utilisation.
The agriculture leader said Pakistan’s textile industry was now depending on imported cotton. He warned that the country may again spend foreign exchange on importing six to seven million cotton bales.
He said domestic cotton production had not been revived, despite its importance for exports and industry.
Mr Sathio also criticised the absence of any clear mention of the livestock sector. He said livestock plays a major role in agriculture’s share in GDP.
He suggested that cold storage funds should be redirected toward livestock development. This could support milk processing, meat production and exports.
Sindh Abadgar Board President Mahmood Nawaz Shah also said agriculture was not taken seriously in the budget.
He said the sector remained resilient after the 2025 floods, which mainly affected Punjab. However, major crops still received little attention.
He added that the oilseed sector was ignored, despite its potential to reduce Pakistan’s food import bill.
Small Traders Call for SME Package
Small traders and industrialists gave a mixed response to the budget.
Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries President Mohammad Saleem Memon and Senior Vice President Ahmed Idrees Chohan welcomed some economic and tax reforms.
However, they said the budget did not offer enough practical relief for small traders, SMEs and small industries.
They said Pakistan still needs a comprehensive national package for SMEs.
They added that SMEs support employment, local production and business activity across the country.
The chamber leaders called for low-interest financing, industrial modernisation, technology upgrades and export support.
Mr Idrees said exporters had demanded restoration of the Final Tax Regime, but it was not included.
He welcomed the reduction in withholding tax on exports from 2 percent to 1.25 percent.
However, he said the industry still needs a stable and predictable tax system.
