Daily Times

The wheat growers of Sindh have not received gunny bags by the Sindh Food Department. The Food Department has fixed 1.4 million metric tons bags to purchase wheat from growers, as the wheat procurement season started in the province, but still the foods officials delayed to purchase the wheat from growers due to coronavirus lockdown.

Growers complained that wheat is bumper crop in this wheat procurement season but ongoing rains and storm hails are affecting the production of wheat.

The growers complained that different parts of Sindh have started to receive rains, the growers demanded that if the food department will more delay to purchase the wheat from growers, the wheat lying stock in the field will be affected and the growers of wheat will face huge loss.

While, growers of wheat also complained PASCO also has not opened centres to purchase wheat from growers in Sindh.

Growers appealed to Federal and provincial governments to direct concerned authorities to establish wheat procurement centres in Sindh and purchase wheat from growers.

It is first time that Dadu district has produced earlier wheat to the market generally in Sindh. Growers have started to cut their crop in the field and stocked wheat in all parts of district but they are complaining that gunny bags were not provided them by food officials to purchase the wheat from them..

President of Sindh Abadgar Board Dadu chapter, Mohammad Umer Jamali said that it was 30 million maunds of wheat lying stock in Radhan, Nau Goath, Moundar, Jhallo, Purano Deero, Thrari Mohabbat, Fareedabad, Mehar, KN Shah, Gozo, Mado, Kakar, Khanpur, Dadu, Johi, Chhandan, Khudabad, Phakka, and Aminiani areas of Dadu district. speaking with this reporter, on mobile cell, he said that in some parts cutting of wheat was going on. He said that still wheat procurement was not started by food department of Sindh government.

A small grower of wheat of Pipri area of taluka Dadu Aftab Ahmed Bhand said that food department officials have not provided the gunny bags to the growers. He said that due to falling of the rains, the wheat stock lying in the field and standing crop was affected.

District food controller Dadu, Allah Warayo said that 0.9 million bags of wheat were fixed target by the food department government of Sindh to purchase wheat from growers on 3500 rupees per bag of wheat of 100 kg.

Speaking with this reporter, he said that total 38 wheat procurement centres were established in district. He said that within seven days, gunny bags will be provided to the wheat growers and wheat will be started to purchase from growers.

Leader of small growers association of Sehwan, Fazal Hussain Jamali complained to this correspondent that the people have started to cut their wheat crop in the different parts of Jamshoro district. He said that it was 20 million maunds of wheat in Manjhand, Bhan, Talti, Sehwan, Jhangara-Bajara, Sann, Kotri and Sann areas of Jamshoro district. He said that still wheat procurement centres were not established in district. He said that the government had fixed 3500 rupees to purchase the 100 kg bag of wheat from growers but still food officials have not contacted with small growers to purchase wheat. He said that food officials have started to purchase wheat from big and influential landlords. He said that small growers are selling wheat to local traders on cheap rates on 3000 rupees to 3100 rupees per bag of 100 kg of wheat.

Deputy Director Food department Hyderabad region, Mr Zahid Baloch speaking with this correspondent on mobile cell that hat 31 lacs bags of wheat target was fixed for Hyderabad region to purchase wheat from growers by the government of Sindh. He said that still purchasing of wheat in Hyderabad, Badin, Thatta, Tando allah Yar, Tando Mohammad Khan, Matyari, Dadu and Jamshoro districts was not started.

He said that Sindh government has started to supply of gunny bags to food officials from Sindh . He said that wheat procurement centres were set up in all parts of region. He said that offices were closed due to locked down situation. He said that within few days, wheat procurement will be started from growers.

Speaking with correspondent a grower of Qambar-Shahdadkot, Shah Mohammad Mugheri said that despite of locked down of the towns, the local traders were restricted at homes and 0.9 million maunds wheat was standing in field. He complained that wheat centres were not established in district. He said that food officials were in contact with big land lords and political bigwigs of district like Chandio and Mangsi tribal chiefs to purchase the wheat from them.

Speaking with this correspondent, a growers of Larkana, Mohammad Juman Chandio, said that the growers were also worried as their wheat was ready to cut majority and at some parts it was under process of cutting but gunny bags were not provided them.

He said that growers in Jacobabad, Kashmore-Kandhkot and Sukkur, Khairpur, Naushahro Feroze, Nawabshah, Matyari and Hyderabad are worried as their crop was ready to cut but still the wheat bags were not provided them. He said that in going rains, the 30% standing crop of wheat was affected already.

Meanwhile, PASCO has also not opened centres to purchase wheat from growers in Sindh. Growers appealed to federal and provincial governments to direct concerned authorities to establish wheat procurement centres in Sindh and purchase wheat from growers.