MULTAN: The Punjab government has announced wheat procurement policy 2019, but the procurement target is missing in the whole scheme, it is learnt.Documents relating to the policy present a picture of procurement arrangements, such as applications schedule for wheat bags, date of commencement of procurement, distribution of wheat bags among farmers, but there is no mention of procurement target.When asked, an official of the Punjab Food Department said on the condition of anonymity that target was not clear but he was sure the government would have to procure each seed of grain.Farm experts have observed that the public sector was gradually withdrawing from wheat procurement and it would completely withdraw in next two years under an agreement with the World Bank.A senior official in the Punjab Food Department on the condition of anonymity said under World Bank conditions of strengthening markets, the government was bound to relax wheat procurement in public sector gradually and it wouldstop completely in 2021-22 to avail loans.The Punjab government had contracted a $ 300 million loan one and a year before for strengthening markets for agriculture and rural transformation under WB Project No 162446. The official feared if the public sector prevents from wheat procurement would bring massive retrenchment in the PFD. The withdrawal from wheat procurement in public sector would send the growers at the mercy of market players.South Punjab Kissan Board president Hafiz Hussein Ahmed told reporters that peasants grew crop after nine months hectic labour but the market players bought it at their desired rate which was a shameful example of exploitation.The government has fixed Rs 1,300 per 40 kilogram wheat support price, which means Rs 32.50 per kilogram but the floor is sold at Rs 60 to Rs 65 per kilogram, he said. The public sector has already withdrawn from announcing support prices of cash crop including cotton, wheat, sugarcane and other crops. The wheat support price was announced last week before the harvest of the crop. The support price must be declared before sowing of crops as the practice was continued in the past. Pakistan Kissan Ittehad central president Khalid Khokhar said he had contacted Punjab Secretary Food, Punjab Director General Food in Lahore but no official could confirm him about procurement target. A senior official at Punjab Agriculture Secretariat confided The News that the central government had fixed production target of 15 million bales for cotton crop 2019-20 without declaring support price.Commenting on the current situation south Punjab Awami Workers Party president Farhat Abbas said: “The growers have no attraction in 15 million bales’ target when the support price is not guaranteed”. He said the government should announce support price for cotton at Rs 4,000 per 40 kilogram, so it would encourage growers for maximum sowing of cash crop. Talking to this scribe Multan Deputy Director Food quietly rejected the impression, saying the government would protect the interests of wheat growers, particularly the rights of small-scale farmers will be protected at every cost. He said a meeting was held in this regard under the supervision of Punjab Chief Minister Osman Buzdar at Lahore Civil Secretariat where a foolproof wheat procurement strategy was devised.He said the government had fixed Rs 1,300 per 40 kilogram wheat price. The applications for the distribution of gunny bags will be started from April 8 till April 15 and the distribution of gunny bags will commence from April 21. The Punjab government has strictly directed all necessary facilities will be provided to the farmers at wheat procurement centres and complaint cells will be established at provincial, divisional, district and tehsil levels. Sheikh Rauf said the Punjab ministers, advisors and special assistants will also visit wheat procurement centres and he will also personally monitor the wheat procurement campaign.When the Deputy Director Food asked about the procurement target, he said the procurement target to each district has been in process and soon it would be announced.
from The News International - National https://ift.tt/2Usycc0
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