The Lower House’s Agriculture and Water Committee Sunday met a number of ministers and concerned officials to discuss major problems facing the sector, including the transport of produce outside the country, unlicensed water wells and foreign labour.

Head of the committee, Khaled Heyari, said the panel will soon meet prime minister Hani Mulki to discuss the demands and recommendations passed by today’s meeting and the need to remove hurdles facing the farming sector.

During the meeting with the ministers of agriculture, water and Irrigation, labour, transport and housing and public works, MP Suwan Al Shurafat called for a long-term strategy to address problems that may arise and find alternative markets after the closure of neighbouring markets.

Water and irrigation minister Hazem Al Nasser spoke about a recent government decision to cut electricity from unlicensed wells.

Labour minister Ali Al Ghezawi said a technical committee of agricultural experts and stakeholders had recently been formed to discuss challenges facing farmers, and asked farmers to report their grievances to the committee. He said foreign labour had been tied to farmers’ needs, but guest workers were banned in the central produce market.

Source: Fana News