The government’s wheat procurement plan has failed miserably in Sindh province of Pakistan. Its impact is now falling on the common people. There has been a sharp increase in the prices of wheat and flour and people are being forced to buy expensive flour.
According to Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has expressed concern over rising prices. He called a review meeting at the Chief Minister House, in which officials told that till June 4, the Food Department has been able to purchase only 79,835.66 metric tons of wheat. Whereas the government had set a target of purchasing 10 lakh metric tons of wheat. That means even 8% of the target could not be achieved.
Why is the purchase not happening?
Officials said that the price being received in the open market is higher than the support price fixed by the government for the farmers. Therefore, farmers are selling wheat to private traders instead of government centres. For this reason the government procurement campaign almost failed.
Due to reduced government procurement and increased hoarding, the price of wheat in the open market has increased by about 25%. The price of 100 kg wheat in Karachi has reached 11,100 Pakistani rupees. Whereas in Hyderabad it is being sold at Rs 10,900 per 100 kg.
Government is not able to control prices
Flour is being sold at 135 to 140 Pakistani rupees per kg in the retail market. Whereas the government had fixed its official price at Rs 107 per kg. In the meeting, the Chief Minister said that some traders are creating artificial shortage by hoarding wheat and increasing the prices. He ordered the officials to take action against such people and keep a close watch on the market.
The government had started the procurement campaign from April 1 for the crop of 2025 to 26. It was announced to give support price of 3,500 Pakistani rupees per 40 kg wheat to the farmers. Apart from this, separate payment was also kept for gunny bags. This scheme was made to benefit 3.32 lakh farmers.
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