Farmers up in arms against falling wheat prices in Punjab

LAHORE: The farmers community has threatened to hold a province-wise protest campaign against what it calls apathy of the provincial government over falling wheat selling prices in the ongoing harvesting season.

As the Punjab government is yet to enter the wheat market, the farmers community faces the mounting challenge of plummeting grain prices and exploitation by unruly private buyers.

The Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) and a faction of Pakistan Kisan Ittehad (PKI) vowed to continue its protest over the ‘worrisome developments regarding huge losses on grain selling as a result of manipulation of farmers at the hands of hoarders, middlemen, and stockists.”

KBP Chief Khalid Bath claimed on Sunday that several local leaders of the association have been arrested in various cities and towns, including Sargodha and Chiniot. Despite coercive tactics employed by the provincial government, he claimed, farmers from all over Punjab are reaching the provincial metropolis tomorrow to protest over non-purchase of wheat by the government. The sit-in will be held in front of the Punjab Assembly, he said, adding if authorities tried to stop the demonstration, they would block roads in various districts of the province.

Ayub Mayo, another farmer leader, was shocked at the lack of concern shown by the authorities concerned. Despite the Punjab government’s promises of a farmer-friendly policy, we have seen no concrete development on the ground, he said, adding these assurances are bound to prove futile as farmers are not being offered fair wheat prices in the absence of timely procurement.

The farmers’ representatives have also called for action against the caretaker government officials responsible for importing an additional 0.8 million tonnes of wheat. Mayo advised the provincial government to purchase more wheat this year despite imports in order to protect the farmers from incurring losses.

Haji Ramzan of KBP regretted that availability of inputs at fair rates has been a serious issue throughout the wheat plantation season, increasing their cost of production tremendously. He alleged that middlemen and hoarders in collusion with relevant departments had succeeded in illegally storing fertilizers and other inputs and selling them to farmers at exorbitant rates. In a demoralizing scenario where fertilizers, seeds and water already come at a high cost, being at the mercy of exploiters would spell disaster for us. He cautioned the provincial government over what he called a miscalculated move of not buying wheat from the farmers, saying the price of flour could only be kept at lower prices on sustainable basis if due return to growers was ensured. If farming is made unprofitable for the farmers, they would not be able to sow next crops in the ensuing season and would avoid wheat cultivation next season, he warned.

Keeping in view the sensitivity of the situation, the KBP leader observed, they urge the government to procure four million metric tons of wheat in the province and revise the price to Rs4,500 per 40 kg at least. Meanwhile, the provincial government may take a decision on launching the wheat procurement campaign in the next couple of days. “We are fully aware of the farmers’ plight,” an official said, adding as rains have delayed harvesting at various places, wheat purchase has also been adversely affected.

He added that high moisture content in grains is also discouraging buyers to purchase wheat. He hinted that the provincial government would enter the market once harvesting is in full swing.

Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin said in an interview that all important decisions would be taken on Monday on the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. He said the decisions would be taken by keeping the demands of farmers in front of them to solve the wheat crisis and farmers would not have to protest in front of the Punjab Assembly.