Lahore: Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani on Monday said that the Punjab government was fully aware of the problems faced by potato and kinnow growers while serious and practical measures were being taken to resolve these issues.
He said this while presiding over the meeting of the Agriculture Commission here. Members of the Provincial Assembly, representatives of farmers’ organizations, exporters, potato and kinnow growers, and other relevant stakeholders participated in the meeting.
The meeting specifically reviewed issues related to the export of potatoes and kinnow, the challenges being faced, and possible solutions in detail.
The minister said that, on the directions of the Punjab Chief Minister steps were being taken at various levels to remove hurdles in the export of potatoes and kinnow.
He informed the meeting that the federal government had also been requested to reduce freight charges for the export of potatoes and kinnow via Iran in order to facilitate farmers and exporters.
Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said, “Punjab has the distinction of producing approximately 95 percent of the country’s total potato and kinnow output, therefore, promoting the export of these crops is extremely important not only for the provincial economy but also for the national economy.”
He stated that the Punjab government was in continuous contact with the federal government to address the difficulties faced by potato and kinnow growers, and full cooperation was being obtained from all relevant institutions to improve exports.
Practical suggestions presented by the participants were also considered, and it was decided that these recommendations would be shared with the federal government to make the export process more effective.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the minister expressed the commitment that the government would utilize all possible resources to increase farmers’ income and enhance foreign exchange earnings through the promotion of potato and kinnow exports.