Farmers bemoan high prices of fertiliser, other products.

RAHIM YAR KHAN -- Farmers will begin a tractor-trolley march on Islamabad on March 31 if their demands are not accepted.

Farmers of the Kissan Bachao Tehreek told a press conference after a Kissan Conference here that agriculture was not on the priorities of the government and for that reason, farmers were facing economic difficulties. They said the government's policies had only increased the rates of fertilizer, electricity and diesel while substandard seeds and pesticides were being openly sold.

Kissan Ittehad Pakistan Central leader Khalid Khokhar said their bad luck was that despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan was importing fruits, vegetables, edible oil, wheat and sugar. He said due to wrong government policies, the input costs on crops had increased.

He said corruption, poor performance and conspiracies of agriculture departments were other factors for the decline in agri products. He said farmers were given less rates for their products which were later sold to end consumers at a high rate.

He said wheat was being purchased from farmers at Rs1,400 per maund but only to be sold at Rs2,400 in the markets.

Similarly, potato is bought at Rs5 per kg at...