Passco plans to export 0.5 million tons of wheat

The Pakistan Agriculture Storage Corporation (Passco) has planned to export 0.5 million tons of wheat during 2011-12 from its held stock, and approval has been accorded by the government in this regard. Passco Managing Director Major General Sohail Shafqat said this while talking to media persons after distributing jute bags among farmers at Passco's procurement centre in Hafizabad on Wednesday.
He said that there will be no general sales tax (GST) on the purchase of wheat from the growers, and jute bags will be delivered on the basis of personal surety to the growers having less than 10 acres of land. He said: "Neither GST will be deducted nor its implementation is under consideration on sale and purchase of wheat".
He said that the government has fixed wheat procurement target of 6.5 million tons ex-Rabi corps 2011, out of which Passco has been assigned to procure 1.3 million tons wheat from its earmarked or designated areas. Passco has divided its allotted target as 1.26 million tons for procurement in Punjab and 0.4 million tons in Sindh. However, procurement in Balochistan would be made subject to demand and provision of funds on the part of respective provincial food department. In this regard, Passco has already established its zonal offices at Dera Allah Yar with 14 purchase centres. The procurement will commence on April 30 at allocated 15 tehsils of Punjab.
Passco will also procure wheat in Sindh in 3 tehsils. The Corporation has established 176 wheat procurement centres and PCs-cum-reservoirs in Punjab. In addition to procurement of current crop, Passco expects to carry over approximately 1.00 million tons. Thus the Corporation would be having 2.3 million tons wheat stocks at the end of procurement of Crop-2011.
MThe anaging Director said that all concerned field staff has been directed to take all necessary measures to facilitate tendering of wheat by small and genuine growers, and middleman should be discouraged. He said that jute bags (bardana) has been made available at the wheat purchase centres for distribution to the wheat growers which must be fair and equitable. Besides, there will be no compromise regarding quality specification like taking correct weight and making prompt payment to growers, he added.