MUZAFFARGARH: Potato growers in Punjab and Sindh are facing mounting financial pressure as market prices have dropped below production costs, while input expenses and limited export opportunities continue to erode farm incomes, a farmers’ representative said on Monday.
Rana Amjad Ali Amjad, provincial coordinator of the All Pakistan Kissan Ittehad Punjab, said the sharp decline in potato prices in local markets had left growers unable to recover their costs. He said spending on seed, fertiliser, diesel, labour and transportation had increased significantly, pushing farmers deeper into losses.
He said the current situation had placed growers under severe economic strain, while middlemen and hoarders continued to benefit from weak market regulation and price distortions.
Amjad said restrictions on cross-border trade had reduced potato exports to neighbouring countries, increasing supply pressure in domestic markets and further depressing prices. He added that growers were also dealing with post-harvest losses due to crop damage during harvesting, inadequate storage facilities and frequent price fluctuations.
He said climate variability, water shortages, pest attacks, crop diseases and the high cost of quality seed and fertilisers had compounded the challenges faced by farmers. Natural disasters, including floods, had also caused significant crop losses in recent seasons, affecting overall farm incomes.
Highlighting farmers’ demands, Amjad said growers were calling for policy support measures such as facilitation of exports, the introduction of a reasonable support price mechanism, improved market oversight and targeted relief for affected farmers.
He said sustained engagement between farmers, market stakeholders and government authorities was essential to stabilise prices and address structural issues in the sector.
Amjad stressed that protecting farmers’ interests and strengthening agriculture were crucial for economic stability, adding that improved farmer welfare ultimately contributed to national prosperity.
