Govt plans higher agri exports within a year

The government plans to reduce imports of agricultural products over the next year while stepping up exports, Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid said yesterday.

He made the remarks while exchanging greetings with senior officials at the Ministry of Agriculture’s conference room.

“Within a year, agricultural products will be exported on an industrial scale,” the minister said.

Calling agriculture the backbone of the national economy, he said that a large share of the population depends on the sector for its livelihood. Strengthening it, he said, is not only an economic priority but a social one.

He said that the sector would be modernised and reorganised through careful planning, with reforms to raise productivity and improve competitiveness.

To further strengthen the economy, agriculture must be given top priority, he said. The minister also urged all stakeholders to work together to advance the country’s agri development.