Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, presiding over a meeting, reviewed the ongoing wheat procurement campaign for 2026 and allowed small growers, registered under the scheme, to supply as much grain as they wish by waiving the five -bags-per-acre limit.
He directed the food department to accelerate procurement, ensure immediate payments to farmers, and strengthen field-level outreach to meet the provincial target.
The meeting was attended by Minister Information Sharjeel Memon, Minister Food Makhdoom Mahboobuz Zaman, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif, Secretary Agriculture Zaman Narejo, Secretary Food Abbas Naich, senior officials, and representatives of Sindh Bank.
The Chief Minister was informed that the wheat procurement campaign began on April 1, with a target of one million metric tons at a support price of Rs3,500 per 40 kg.
The programme covers over 332,000 farmers cultivating wheat on approximately 1.94 million acres across the province.
Minister for Food Makhdoom Mahboob Zaman informed the Chief Minister that approximately 8,958 metric tons of wheat had so far been procured against the overall target of 973,900 metric tons. Responding to a query, he stated that the procurement target could not be achieved primarily due to the restriction of five bags per acre imposed on small growers.
Taking notice of the issue, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah immediately abolished the five-bag limit per acre and allowed small farmers to sell their wheat to the government without any quantity restriction.
The meeting was told that payments to farmers have been significantly expedited, with funds now being transferred within one day through Sindh Bank.
So far, Rs198.3 million has been disbursed among growers.
The Chief Minister expressed satisfaction over the improved payment mechanism and said, “Timely payment is crucial for farmers’ trust. We must ensure that every grower is paid promptly and transparently.”
Murad Ali Shah directed the district administration, agriculture, and food departments to further intensify the procurement drive and ensure maximum participation of farmers.
“All eligible farmers must be encouraged to bring their wheat to government procurement centres. This is essential not only for food security but also for supporting our growers,” he said.
He emphasised that farmers selling wheat to the government would remain eligible for future subsidies and support programmes.
The meeting was informed that assistant commissioners and mukhtiarkars are regularly visiting procurement centres, while agriculture officials are actively engaging farmers.
A control room has also been established for complaint redressal, and 12 additional wheat procurement centres have been opened to facilitate growers.
The Chief Minister directed strict monitoring of procurement centres to ensure transparency and eliminate any malpractices.
“There should be zero tolerance for irregularities. The entire process must remain farmer-friendly and efficient,” he said.
Murad Ali Shah stressed close coordination among all departments to remove bottlenecks and improve operational efficiency.
He also directed that non-functional procurement centres be made operational immediately and that logistical arrangements be strengthened in districts with low procurement.
Reaffirming his government’s commitment, the Chief Minister said the wheat procurement campaign is a major initiative to support farmers and ensure food security in the province.
“Our farmers are the backbone of our economy. We will continue to support them through fair pricing, timely payments, and effective procurement policies,” he said.