ISLAMABAD: Tensions between Punjab and Balochistan surfaced on Wednesday as the National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security was informed that the Punjab Seed Corporation had stopped supplying seeds to Balochistan.
Balochistan’s agriculture secretary raised the matter before the committee, while the Federal Seed Certification Department confirmed a severe seed shortage, with only 4,000 tonnes available against a national demand of 68,000 tonnes.
The committee directed the Ministry of National Food Security to convene a meeting with provincial secretaries of Punjab and Balochistan to address the issue. The ministry stated that while all provinces were asked to enforce seed regulations through their agriculture extension departments to ensure the availability of quality seeds, only Punjab had implemented the directive. The committee instructed the ministry to issue formal letters to all provinces, with a 15-day deadline for response.
The committee expressed concern over the rising cost of fertilisers, particularly DAP and urea, which have increased from Rs12,000 to Rs15,000 per bag. It urged the government to intervene and prevent market exploitation. Minister for National Food Security Rana Tanveer Hussain said a meeting scheduled for Friday would review import data and explore measures to align local prices with global trends.
NA panel calls for support prices, olive
sector reforms
To protect growers, the committee recommended introducing minimum support prices for sugarcane and other major crops. Delayed procurement by sugar mills was also criticised for depressing prices and discouraging crop rotation. The minister said an agreement with sugar millers had been reached to ensure timely and fair purchasing. He added that storage facilities are being made accessible through bank financing with government support.
On wheat, the ministry confirmed adequate buffer stocks available for procurement, particularly by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa via PASSCO. The current minimum support price for wheat remains unchanged, despite reservations from the IMF.
In a presentation on the olive sector, officials noted Pakistan’s seven million olive trees compare modestly to global figures, dominated by Spain with 400m. However, Pakistan’s yield rate stands at 28pc, far exceeding the global average of 6-7pc. The global olive industry is valued at $15bn, positioning Pakistan to expand its market share.
Initiatives like the ‘Pak Olive’ project aim to meet domestic demand by 2030, with cultivation spread across 131 districts. Saplings are offered at subsidised rates between Rs200-300 through registered nurseries. Olive farming is promoted for environmental sustainability, with applications in food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Despite being drought-tolerant, the sector still faces water management issues in arid regions.
Challenges include limited post-harvest infrastructure, market access, lack of farmer training, and inadequate zoning data. The committee recommended updating zoning clusters, incentivising public-private investment, improving training, and developing national certification and branding systems. It also called for enhanced digital access and market data to boost competitiveness.
The committee reviewed a stalled plan for a joint research centre in Khairpur, involving PARC and Khairpur University. With no progress reported, a sub-committee was formed, led by Syed Javed Ali Shah.
On tobacco, the KP Agriculture Department reported companies only purchase premium-quality tobacco, citing storage and weather-related issues for rejecting lower-grade produce — a concern acknowledged by the Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB). The committee directed the PTB and KP government to find a resolution and sought third-party evaluations of CSR spending. PTB was instructed to provide complete CSR data from all tobacco companies.
Senior officials from the Ministry of National Food Security, FBR, PARC, NSDRA, olive and tobacco departments, growers’ associations and other agencies attended the session.
