Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday declared farmers’ prosperity the government’s top priority as he directed officials to formulate a comprehensive plan to increase Pakistan’s agricultural exports.

Chairing a high-level meeting, he stressed the need for reforms and adoption of modern farming methods aligned with global standards.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said reforms in the agricultural sector and introducing farmers to modern, globally prevalent methods are among the government’s foremost priorities.

He was chairing a meeting of a working group comprising private sector experts, formed to enhance agricultural exports and align Pakistan’s agriculture with international requirements.

The prime minister noted that agriculture remains the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and holds immense potential for growth if supported through policy reforms and innovation.

Federal–provincial coordination on reforms

The prime minister said the federal government is taking steps within its mandate to develop agriculture, in close coordination with provincial governments.

He clarified that efforts are underway to ensure the availability of quality seeds, timely supply of fertilisers at reasonable prices, and medicines to protect crops from diseases, with the aim of increasing per-acre production.

He added that policy-level measures are also being introduced to promote the production of exportable goods through processing of agricultural commodities.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to take concrete steps to increase exports of fisheries, fruits and value-added products derived from them.

He also ordered the formulation and presentation of policy measures for palm oil production along Pakistan’s coastal belt, alongside a comprehensive five-year action plan to boost agricultural exports.

The meeting was informed that a certification regime for processed agricultural commodities is being developed, which would enhance farmers’ profits by ensuring better value addition and competitiveness in global markets.

Investment in skills and research

The prime minister highlighted that 1,000 Pakistani students have recently been sent to China at government expense to receive training in modern agricultural technology.

He said Pakistan is investing in agricultural research within existing resources to increase per-acre yield and unlock the sector’s full potential.

According to officials, reforms of research institutions are part of the broader strategy, aimed not only at improving existing crops but also at encouraging the cultivation of new, climate- and soil-appropriate, profitable crops.

Chairman of the working group, Rana Naseem, along with his team, presented a detailed report on the country’s agriculture sector. The briefing outlined key challenges, short-term reform measures and a future roadmap.

Participants were given a comparative review of major Rabi and Kharif crops, average per-acre yields, horticulture and fruit production and exports, as well as animal husbandry and the dairy sector, in both regional and global contexts.

Under the short-term reform framework, it was stated that Pakistan’s current average per-acre production could be increased within existing resources through quality inputs, effective extension services and farmer awareness of modern agricultural practices.

The meeting was attended by Federal Ministers Ahsan Iqbal, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Dr Mosaddiq Malik, Muhammad Aurangzeb and Attaullah Tarar.

Minister of State Bilal Azhar Kayani, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar and senior officials from relevant departments were also present.