Sindh terms federal govt wheat support price anti-farmers

KARACHI: Sindh on Saturday termed the wheat support price announced by the federal government as anti-farmers because it is in contrast to high cost of production.

Ismail Rahu, provincial minister for agriculture said the government’s claim of an increase of 400 percent in the prices of wheat is baseless. The price is against the interests of growers and that is expected to result in wheat shortage, he said.

As wheat harvesting just begins, the federal government fixed wheat price at Rs1,800 per 40 kilogram, while the province set it at Rs2,000 per 40-kg.

“Prices of agriculture machinery, fertiliser, seed and pesticides have increased by 150 percent and it would be the first time when prices would vary in Sindh, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan,” Rahu said in a statement.

“We will not support the federal government’s decision, which is against the farmers. The farmers are not provided their rights. Instead of providing relief to farmers, Imran Khan’s government is supporting wheat mafias.”

The provincial minister said wheat price was increased to Rs1,800 per 40-kg from Rs1,400 per 40-kg, which was an increase of 28.5 percent only, whereas Sindh government increased the price by Rs600 per 40-kg, an increase of 43 percent.

Mehmood Nawaz Shah, senior vice president of Sindh Abadgar Board supported the Sindh government’s wheat rate, but called for immediate opening of procurement centres in the province, which is often criticised for passing on the responsibility to private sector

“The rate is realistic considering the cost of production,” said Shah. “However, we want the government to open up the procurement centres immediately.

The provincial government, however, said it had bought 1.2 million tons last year in addition to 117,000 tons of imported wheat from the federal government. It set wheat procurement target at 1.4 million tons for crop 2020/21, adding to 800,000 tons of carryover stock. The production in the province is expected at four million tons.

After the 18th amendment into the constitution, the provinces became independent to announce own support prices, causing variable prices across the country.

Shah said if the Sindh government is sincere and serious to provide growers prices it announced, it should immediately open procurement centres as wheat harvesting has been in full swing since 1st March in the province.

“In absence of procurement centres, traders are purchasing wheat at Rs1,800 per 40-kg, which reached to Rs2,400 per 40-kg before start of the harvesting,” he said.

“The government imposed ban over wheat movement out of three districts Sanghar, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad. Ban should be lifted and free movement of wheat should be allowed that will benefit the growers.”