Businessman registers concern over agricultural decline.

KARACHI -- Secretary General (Federal) of the Businessmen Panel for Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce, Ahmad Jawad has registered his deep concern over decline in agricultural productivity of the country.

Talking to reporter here Tuesday, he said year 2019 remained a tough period for farmers of the country and the provincial governments must accept their responsibility towards the scenario.

"Absence of agriculture policy, lack of planning and non existence of will at the provincial levels are the factors that could be attributed to the situation," said Ahmad Jawad.

He lamented that the provincial authorities with little interest towards the sector were witnessed to have placed it in the hands of inexperienced people.

"This is an approach that has been adopted since long but particularly after 18th amendment in the constitution," said FPCCI official.

In reply to a question, he agreed that better water availability did lend much-needed support to the agriculture sector.

"Steady increase in fertilizer prices, impact of climate change and locust attack that have played havoc are but the facts that already have and can be further neutralize chances of any improvement in the agriculture sector," elaborated the person who once headed the fruit, vegetable and horticulture committee of FPCCI.

To another query, he acknowledged that the agriculture sector of the country is exposed to a difficult phase for past 19 years with all possibilities that the downward trend may persist in 2020 too.

"The cited factors are set to turn the doubt into a major worry," Ahmad Jawad commented.

Mentioning that rise in the price of urea and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP), world's most widely used phosphorus fertilizer, by no less than 25% has badly hit agricultural (crops) output, he said this continues to discourage farmers from using good quantity of needed fertilizer.

Country's annual requirement, he said...