Punjab starts buying wheat from growers

LAHORE: Punjab Food Department has finally started buying of wheat from the growers and on first day (Monday) procured about 8,000 tons from Bahawalpur Division.

According to an official, wheat procurement campaign is continuing in Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur and Rahimyar Khan districts and issuance of gunny bags as well as actual wheat buying mainly continued in these districts so far. An official said that gunny bags for buying of 130,000 ton wheat have been issued to farmers in the province as part of first leg of procurement drive.

To a question said, gunny bags distribution is being started in DG Khan Division and some other districts of the province, including Multan, Lodhran and Bhakkar. He expressed the hope that wheat procurement would gain momentum in about a week time.

On the other hand, Kissan Board Pakistan expressed sheer anguish on what it called non-friendly policies of the provincial government, saying most of the wheat crop in Southern Punjab has been harvested but Food Department failed to intervene in the market for stabilising wheat price.Nisar Advocate, President KBP said that despite the fact that wheat had been matured early this year and Food Department should have initiated procurement campaign much earlier. He warned that protest would be organised outside offices of food department if immediate full-fledged start of procurement drive is not initiated.