Government Focuses Curbing Food Inflation: Khusro Bakhtyar

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar said on Thursday government had focused to curb food inflation for which a robust early warning system would be developed

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jan, 2020 ):Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar said on Thursday government had focused to curb food inflation for which a robust early warning system would be developed.

He further said that Pakistan being an agrarian economy was largely a food secure country but challenge of food inflation emerges very recurrently due to gaps in demand and supply management system.

While talking to Illango Patchamuthu, Country Director World Bank and John Roome, Regional Director World Bank who called on him, the minister said the government was looking to vertically promote growth of cotton with high quality seed and pest management.

He apprised that government had launched a holistic program of Rs 300 billion with five year gestation period.

"This program addresses key areas of agriculture including fisheries, livestock, water management and productivity enhancement of major crops.We need to mobilize our farmers for their participation in the initiatives of the government for sustainable development of the sector", he added Makhdum Khusro Bakhtyar underlined the need for harmonizing the crop estimates worked out by Provincial Crop Reporting Services and estimated through satellite imagery and remote sensing to come up with more precise data for devising effective and timely policies.

The minister also expressed that the government and the bank might together work out their short term and long term agenda for agricultural cooperation.

Short term collaboration may include designing of a model of Early Warning System (EWS) for management of food inflation.

This EWS will save the interests of both farmers and consumers. Long term collaboration may be worked out in other common areas of interest like water management, fisheries and climate smart agriculture.

The minister shared that the government was also committed to rationalize agricultural subsidies to ensure diffusion of their benefit to the farming community.

Speaking on the occasion, Illango apprised that the Bank was in process of hiring an agriculture expert for Pakistan. Furthermore, a team of experts on agriculture is likely to visit Pakistan in a couple of weeks.

The minister appreciated commitment of the bank for collaboration with the Government for agricultural development in the country.

The two sides agreed to continue further discussions to develop future roadmap for agricultural cooperation between the government and the bank.

Mr. Illango said that the Bank would like to work in close collaboration with the Government on the commonalities like climate smart agriculture, high value crops and water management.