The federal government has permitted farmers in Punjab to export potatoes and mandarins through alternative routes, according to a statement issued by the Punjab government on Tuesday.
Attributing the decision to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s “special efforts,” the statement quoted her as saying the hard work of potato and mandarin farmers would not be allowed to go to waste. “I remain in contact with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to help farmers overcome their difficulties,” she said, adding the Punjab government had approached the federal government to form a high-level committee to facilitate exports of the two commodities.
The committee, headed by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, would include representatives of relevant ministries and key stakeholders to address the issue in a coordinated manner. Sharif said the province had also urged the center to explore new international markets and reduce export-related costs to ease difficulties faced by exporters and farmers.
“Practical measures are being taken on a daily basis to resolve issues related to kinno and potato exports and to maximize foreign exchange earnings,” she said, noting Punjab produced about 95% of the country’s potato and kinno crops.
According to the statement, potato output in the province is expected to reach about 12 million tons this year, while kinno production is projected at four million tons.
The Punjab government announcement follows appeals from farmers in Punjab for government support, including through subsidized exports, to allow them to offload crops after a production surplus. Farmer bodies have blamed the ongoing disruption in trade through the Pak-Afghan border for the supply glut, noting it has led to a sharp decline in local prices, impacting profitability of growers.