Daily Times

ISLAMABAD, Owing to incentives offered by the government under its Agriculture Fiscal Package to mitigate the harmful impacts of COVID-19 pandemic and mechanization of agriculture sector, local tractor production witnessed about 59.03 percent growth in 11 months of current fiscal year as compared the production of corresponding period of last year.

During the period from July-May, 2020-21, 45,432 tractors were locally assembled as compared the assembling of 28,568 tractors of same period of last year, according the provisional quantum indices of Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSMI) for May 2021. The provisional quantum indices of Large Scale Manufacturing Industries (LSMI) for May 2021 with base year 2005-06 have been developed on the basis of latest data supplied by the source agencies. On month on month basis, the local production of tractors registered about 15,31 percent increase as about 4,105 tractors were locally manufactured in May, 2021 as compared the production of 3,560 tractors of same month of last year, according the data.

It is worth mentioning here that the government had initiated Rs1.5 billion sales tax subsidy on locally-manufactured tractors under agriculture package announced to revive the economically important sector and approved withdrawal of 5 percent sales tax on locally-manufactured tractors for one year. The government in May, 2020 announced a fiscal package of over Rs1.2 trillion in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet division approved the package proposals. Out of the package, Rs50 billion was earmarked for relief to agriculture sector that contributes 18.9 percent to GDP and absorbs 42.3 percent of labor force. The package also includes Rs6.861 billion for provision of financial relief in terms of markup subsidy on bank’s loans to farmers, besides announcing sales tax relief measures to promote mechanization in agriculture sector to enhance per-acre crop yield. Pakistan produces tractors with a variety of working capacities in technical collaboration with foreign manufacturers, including New Holland Tractors and Massey Ferguson.