High cost of inputs further poverty in rural areas: PEW.

ISLAMABAD -- Dr Murtaza Mughal, President PEW has said that high cost of inputs continues to reduce crops which multiply poverty in the rural areas.

The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) said agriculture is the backbone of the economy, therefore, it should get the attention it deserves.

The agriculture sector contributes around 18 percent to the GDP, employs 42 percent of the total labour force, and constitutes 75 percent of the total exports revenue.

The cost of doing business for the farmers should not be increased to improve share of this critical sector in the national GDP, it said.

It is impossible to ensure national development while keeping agricultural development on the backburner, said Dr Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.

He said that agriculture is no more the largest sector of the economy but it continues to provide jobs to the majority of the labour.

Murtaza Mughal said that growth in this sector has remained unimpressive during the last ten years which proves apathy of the policymakers.

Circumstances and some policies continue to push farmers to prefer...