Local growers are protesting the federal government's decision to allow imports of tomatoes and onions, as these imports have hurt the agricultural economy of Sindh. Growers of the two crops have been taking to the streets in several cities of the province for the past few days to register their protests.
They argue that the excess supply of the two vegetables in the market has led to a sharp drop in their prices. "The price of tomato is dropping by Rs300 to Rs400 per bag (€3.30-4.40) daily in the market," claimed one farmer.
According to him, farmers growing that crop had already suffered losses during cultivation due to hot weather, torrential rains and around seven-week delayed growth. "And now imports have further squeezed our earnings," he added. The harvest of the tomato and onion crops had recently started in the southern Sindh's districts.
The farmers also blamed the government for inexorably allowing middlemen to continue their exploitation. The Sindh chamber of agriculture, a farmers lobbying group, has announced protests for December 19 over the issue, while they also found fault in the federal import policy.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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