Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Owing to failure of the provincial government and non cooperative attitude of Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation Limited (PASSCO) and Food Department, the helpless growers are being forced to sell their produce at throwaway price to powerful middle-men and flour millers.

According to sources, the farmers are compelled to sell their wheat of Rs 950 to Rs 1050 per 40 kilogramme in Punjab province against the support price of Rs 1,300. However the growers who have vast piece of land are selling their wheat on support price of Rs 1300 per 40 kilogramme but on the other hand, the small farmers are compelled to sell the wheat on lower price.

Wheat harvesting begins this year about two weeks earlier if compared with past practice because of changing weather pattern but Punjab Food Department is apparently not prepared to start procurement accordingly.

According to growers, both the federal and provincial governments had announced to start the distribution process of Bhar Dana (gunny bag) among farmers from April 15 and then new date of April 20. Now the next date issued from 25 to 30th April for the distribution of Bhar Dana.

The wheat procurement campaign will be started formally 1st May 2017. The wheat procurement policy 2017 was revised lately and that was why procurement did not start from April 15.

Farmer organisations are furious over role of provincial food department. The private buyers are not only purchasing wheat at relatively lower prices but are also forcing farmers to give extra 2-3kg. Other cuts on account of gunny bag price and transportation cost leave farmer high and dry on the mercy of middlemen and flour millers. Owing to failure of the provincial government in commencing wheat procurement campaign, the helpless growers are being forced to compromise on lower rates. The growers have demanded the high-ups to take notice of this and solve their problems.