Islamabad
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed farmer protests by increasing the wheat procurement target from 1.4 million tonnes to 1.8 million tonnes, sources reported. He also ordered the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation Limited (Passco) to speed up wheat purchases to support growers.
The PM’s Office described the decision as a big relief for farmers, stating that Sharif made this move after hearing complaints from wheat producers about delayed procurement. The directive was issued before Sharif’s departure to Saudi Arabia for the World Economic Forum.
Farmers were upset with Passco’s slow pace in buying wheat, forcing them to sell to flour mills at rates lower than the government’s support price. The support price varies across regions: Sindh and Balochistan set it at PKR 4,000 per 40kg, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab set it at PKR 3,900 per 40kg.
Production costs have doubled over the past year, but farmers have had to sell at last year’s rates or lower, leading to protests and heated debates in the National and Punjab Assemblies. National Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer admitted that importing wheat, despite a bumper crop, was a mistake. The government is now reviewing the situation to address farmers’ concerns.
