Punjab remains uncertain about wheat procurement

LAHORE: Although the Punjab Food Department started distributing gunny bags among farmers on Monday, no date was given for submitting wheat at the procurement centres.

Normally, farmers are asked to deposit their produce in official gunny bags after five days. However, this year, staff of the food department was reluctant to give any date.

Sources said the staff told the growers that the date to submit wheat would be given later.

The department delayed wheat procurement this year by about two weeks compared with the previous routine arrangements. Usually, distribution of gunny bags started on April 10 and wheat buying commenced on April 15. With the exception of rains, there was no logical reason to delay wheat procurement.

This year, as the department failed to dispose excessive wheat, buying fresh wheat meant facing even greater financial burden. Therefore, buying has been being delayed intentionally, sources added.

The provincial food department also lacks storage capacity. They are already holding more than two million tons of carryover stock from the previous crop; sources claimed “they are not interested in buying more than 2.5 million tons of wheat during this year’s procurement drive.”

The department, it was learnt, issued 10 bags per acre to farmers for its wheat procurement drive, which would last a total of 30 days. The food department intends to buy 50 percent of the targeted wheat during the first 10 days, 30 percent in the 10 days after that, and the remaining 20 percent of the target would be bought in the ensuing 10 days.

On the other hand, farmer organisation expressed bitterness over the sluggish trend in wheat procurement. The Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) stressed that Punjab government should immediately start an aggressive wheat procurement drive to help stabilise the price of grain in the market. The new crop of wheat in south and central parts of the province had already started reaching the market; there was dire need to begin procuring wheat.

A spokesman of the KBP said that harvested wheat was lying in the fields under open skies and farmers were totally on the mercy of private buyers. It appeared that the government was intentionally delaying the procurement with a view to facilitate private buyers, he alleged.

The provincial Minister for Food, Bilal Yasin was not available for comment when contacted. According to the provincial government’s plan, it has been decided to procure four million metric tons wheat from farmers, for which 376 wheat procurement centres have been set up.

The government has increased the support price of wheat from Rs1,200 to Rs1,300 per maund while delivery charges would be paid at the rate of nine rupees per maund to the farmers. As per plan, wheat would not be procured from any middleman or dealer.

The gunny bag distribution would be transparent and equitable, on first come first served basis, while small growers would be given preference in the issuance of gunny bags.