Sindh starts wheat procurement

KARACHI: Sindh government has opened 525 wheat procurement centres in 23 districts of the province to begin its procurement drive to collect 1.4 million tons wheat at a support price of Rs1,400/40 kilogram.

Sindh Minister for Agriculture, Muhammad Ismail Rahoo, in a statement on Friday said there was no shortage of wheat in the province, and no shortage of wheat flour would be allowed in the city.

He said flour mills were allowed direct buying from growers for a temporary period during the lockdown. “Flour mills in Karachi were providing 50,000 bags of 20kg on daily basis to the market, while 20,000 bags of 20kg were being supplied through Saylani Welfare.”

The provincial minister said wheat was being produced over an area of 1.11 million acres in Sindh, and a production of 3.8 million tons was expected. Sindh government would purchase 1.4 million or 37 percent of the total production.

He said that due to lockdown, Sindh government could not get bardana (plastic and jute bags) on time, which was procurement was delayed by one week. Rahoo said they were focusing on purchasing wheat from small and medium sized growers and peasants. On the other hand, growers have demanded lifting of inter-district ban on wheat movement in the province.