LAHORE: Farmers have urged the government to study the consensus reached between Pakistani and Indian members’ views at the Pakistan-India Joint Business Forum (PIJBF) where Indian agreed that Pakistan should impose duties on Indian agriculture produce to the extent of subsidies provided.
“Farmers were not part of any trade negotiations that were taking place between India and Pakistan until they raised their voice last year,” said Tariq Bucha, the President of Farmers Associates Pakistan. He said two representatives of farmers were included in the PIJBF, along with manufacturing sector representatives, to recommend ways to both the governments to remove irritants in free trade between two countries.
Bucha said that according to Indian official statistics, the Indian government subsidises agriculture to the tune of $93 billion. But he said it had been estimated that they exceed $100 billion. He added that the Indian subsidy on diesel is one such concession that is availed by agriculture but is not agriculture-specific. “This amounts to Rs110 billion in Pakistani rupees,” he said. .....
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