LAHORE - Potato growers have called off their sit-in in front of Punjab Assembly after successful talks with the government.

Agriculture Minister Malk Nauman Langrial assured the farmers that the provincial government will make all efforts to increase the support price of potato. The Punjab government, he informed the protestors, had already forwarded request to the federal government to increase the crop’s support price. Farmers were also promised that potatoes will also be exported. Pakistan produces four million tonnes of potatoes, of which 95 percent are produced in Punjab. Federal government has fixed the support price of any crop in the country. Farmers say potatoes are being sold at Rs4 per kg, despite the production cost being Rs9 per kg. They demand the price increased to Rs12 per kg.

“We worked hard to produce potatoes, but we are not getting the right price for it,” said a farmer. “We didn’t even get the fertilisers at subsidised rates, now we are not getting the right price,” he added. Angry farmers earlier dumped their product on Mall Road to record their agitation.

Led by Pakistan Kissan Ittehad, farmers were gathered at The Mall on Tuesday from across the province and they called off their protest on Wednesday afternoon. They had also  demanded that tariff on fertilizers, electricity and water be lowered.  They also threatened to demonstrate in the federal capital in case their demands were not met.