BY : ANI Correspondent:
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Farmers Wing Central Secretary Information Khalid Nawaz Sadhraich on Friday criticized the government’s wheat policy, saying farmers were forced to sell wheat for Rs. 2,800–3,200 per maund despite the official support price of Rs. 3,500 per maund, while the government is now preparing to import one million tonnes of wheat at Rs. 4,300 per maund.
He said the government offers farmers promises and loans instead of ensuring fair prices, adding that paying growers Rs. 4,000 per maund would have strengthened Pakistan’s wheat self-sufficiency. Sadhraich noted that farmers had produced a record 31.47 million metric tonnes of wheat two seasons ago, but anti-agriculture policies had since reduced production.
He claimed importing one million tonnes of wheat would cost around Rs. 107.5 billion, while local farmers continue to suffer due to inadequate procurement and exploitation by middlemen. He said farmers could produce more than the country’s domestic requirement if they received fair compensation.
Referring to the Punjab government’s decision to fix the wheat price at Rs. 3,800 per maund, Sadhraich said genuine support for farmers lies in ensuring fair prices for their produce rather than burdening them with additional agricultural loans.
