Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, held a meeting with Director General of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), at the Ministry. The meeting focused on enhancing mutual cooperation between the Ministry and SIFC to address the challenges faced by the agriculture sector and to strengthen its role in national economic development.
During the meeting, both sides held a detailed discussion on several key initiatives aimed at providing relief to farmers and improving the overall productivity of the sector. A comprehensive relief package is under consideration to support farmers suffering from rising input costs and adverse climatic conditions. It was agreed that a transparent price mechanism will be introduced to ensure fair returns to farmers and provide them with much-needed economic stability. The issue of General Sales Tax (GST) on cotton also came under discussion, with proposals to reduce or remove the tax currently under active consideration to facilitate cotton growers and encourage production.
Both the Ministry and SIFC expressed a shared commitment to promoting the livestock sector through targeted interventions, including better healthcare, breeding services, and value chain development. In addition, the upcoming federal budget may include a dedicated Kisan Package to compensate farmers for past losses and to provide financial support through subsidies and incentives.
The Federal Minister appreciated the role of SIFC in fostering inter-institutional coordination and assured the Council of the Ministry’s full cooperation in implementing policy reforms. Major General Asad ur Rehman Cheema reaffirmed SIFC’s commitment to facilitating strategic investments and ensuring timely implementation of initiatives in the agriculture sector. The meeting concluded with an understanding to maintain regular coordination in order to translate these policy measures into tangible outcomes for Pakistan’s farming community.
