In order to ensure level playing field against highly-subsidised Indian agriculture sector, Pakistani farmers asked the government to either give subsidy of PKR12,000 (US$124) per acre to growers on various inputs or impose PKR400 (US$4) per 40 kilogrammes regulatory import duty on Indian produce.

Representatives of farmers were adopting a joint resolution at a function on 'Farmer's Perspective on Pakistan India Trade Liberalisation', which was held under the aegis of Agricultural Journalists Association (AJA) at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

Farmers were generally in favour of trade with India or any other country of the world, however, they were of the view that dynamics of farming sectors of both countries should be minutely examined before fully opening trade. The joint resolution warned the government that agriculture is the livelihood of 65% of Pakistan's population and imbalance in trade with India would mean suffering for country's economy and depriving people of their livelihood.

Pakistani farmers asked authorities concerned to devise separate trade policy for agriculture produces after consulting with representatives of farmer organisations. They also urged the government not to waste PKR400 billion (US$4 billion) a year on doomed public sector enterprises like Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Railways, power companies, and Pakistan Steel and to divert these money to agriculture sector for reducing prices of agricultural inputs. They also expressed their concern over detrimental effect of Indian import to domestic poultry industry, demanded inclusion of poultry products in sensitive list.

Tariq Bucha said we are not taking important trade related decision while taking into consideration interest of agriculture and allied sectors. He said there was visible negative impact on our agriculture sector due to free trade with India. He floated an idea of constituting a committee comprising representatives of agriculture and allied sectors to look into various aspects of Pak-India trade and evolve future line of action to ensure level playing field for local farmers.

Ibrahim Mughal said that India gives INR1100 billion (US$20 billion) subsidies to its agriculture annually while INR367 (US$7) food subsidy was additional to this money, he said and adding Pakistan could give subsidy to its agriculture sector by diverting money being wasted on public sector enterprises of power, communication and others.

Hamid Malhi said no farmer organisation or even selected individual farmers from all the provinces were consulted before evolving the trade liberalisation policy with India. The secretary, ministry of commerce, he claimed, were recently caught off guard during a presentation to the Standing Committee of the Senate on Foreign Affairs, and later at the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly, when asked to show any record of consultation with farmers before entering into a dialogue on the issue, with India. Unfortunately, agriculture which is not being represented by a ministry at the federal level during the last two years was taken for granted, he observed.

The recent cotton export restrictions, the cement import impediments and other tariff and non-tariff barriers by India protect its agriculture and industry also needs to be kept in mind.