Pakistan is an agricultural country and the agriculture sector contributes significantly towards the country’s economy. According to the Pakistan Economic Survey 2017-18, agriculture contributes 18.9 percent to the country’s GDP and provides livelihood to almost two out of every five Pakistanis. During 2017-18, the sector grew by only 3.81 percent. This low growth in the sector indicates that poverty in the country could not be mitigated, as mostly rural population is engaged with the sector. A low growth in the sector will also disrupt the supply of raw material to agro-based industry, especially the textile industry which is the largest subsector of the manufacturing sector.
It merits a mention that a low agricultural output generally results in greater reliance on imports, leading to an increase in the import bill. There is a dire need to focus on the agriculture sector so as to increase crop yield and productivity. There is also a need to shift focus towards exports and crops diversification.
Khan Faraz
Peshawar