Wheat price

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet in its meeting held on March 12, 2020 decided to revise up wheat support price by Rs35 to Rs1400 per 40 kg to ensure parity in the commodity prices in the country and set up a monitoring body to ensure smooth procurement in the upcoming harvest season. The committee also constituted a wheat procurement monitoring group to ensure smooth procurement of wheat by public-sector departments in the upcoming harvest season. The wheat procurement monitoring group would ensure that the allied issues related to incidental charges, supply of adequate gunny bags to farmers and procurement of wheat by provinces and the private sector as per plan and targets are properly streamlined and addressed to provide a level-playing field to all the stakeholders, including the public in terms of provision of flour at the lowest possible price throughout the year.

It merits a mention that the ECC in November 2019 had increased wheat support price by Rs50 per 40 kg. The increase was given after a five-year gap. In 2014, the government raised the wheat support price by Rs100. Since then the minimum support price not been enhanced. It is to be added that the cost of production has increased keeping in view the exorbitant increase in agricultural inputs. Also, it was not economical for farmers to continue with the production of this staple food commodity.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar