Murad Ali Shah approves release of Rs5.6bn to procure 1.4 million tonnes of wheat

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved immediate release of Rs5.6 billion to start procurement of 1.4 million tonnes of wheat for which distribution of bardana has been started in Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad divisions where early crop is being harvested.

The CM took this decision on Wednesday while presiding over a meeting to review progress of wheat procurement target for 2021-22. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Food Raja Khurram Shahzad, the agriculture secretary and other officers.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday, the food secretary told the meeting that the government had fixed a procurement target at 1.4 million tonnes of wheat at a support price of Rs2,200 per 40kg.

The CM was told that as per the target, 341,110 tonnes would be procured from Sukkur division, 379,230 from Shaheed Benazirabad, 380,270 from Larkana, 58240 from Mirpurkhas and 241,150 from Hyderabad where 167 procurement centres have been established.

The food department had started distributing bardana for the procurement of 100,000 tonnes of wheat from Sanghar, 58,240 tonnes from Mirpurkhas division and 241,150 tonnes of wheat from Hyderabad division.

The food secretary said that his department needed Rs5.6 billion urgently so that payment to the growers could be made. To this, the chief minister directed Abro to issue advice for the release of Rs5.6 billion by the evening. He also directed the food secretary to set up ATMs for the growers to enable them to encash the payment of their crops then and there.