Steps urged to discourage exploitation of farmers by middleman Steps urged to discourage exploitation of farmers by middleman INP | March 02, 2024Business

The persistent exploitation of farmers at the hands of middleman necessitates urgent steps to discourage this manipulation and empower growers to play their critical role in agricultural sector’s development.

“For decades, middlemen have played a crucial role in connecting farmers to markets in Pakistan. However, they have also become dominant, causing a system where farmers receive a small fraction of the final retail price for their produce. These intermediaries take advantage of small-scale farmers by offering meager prices for crops and imposing unfavourable conditions,” said M Tariq, a principal scientific officer at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC).

“The farming community, which comprises 90% of subsistence farmers, heavily relies on middlemen to access essential crop inputs, such as pesticides, fertilisers and seeds. This dependence creates a power dynamic where middlemen exert control over farmers, dictating terms of trade and influencing their financial flow,” he told WealthPK.

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