Govt to ensure wheat supply, after MSP fixed at Rs1,800

The government is committed to ensuring the supply of wheat at a low price, said PTI leader Senator Shibli Faraz on Saturday.

In a statement, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Information and Broadcasting has said fixing the wheat support price at 1,800 rupees per forty kilogram is reflective of Prime Minister Imran Khan's pro-farmer policy.

The federal government on Friday fixed the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat at Rs 1,800 per 40-kg, in a top-level meeting presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Giving the details of the decisions taken in the meeting, Federal Minister for Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam, in a joint press conference with Provincial Food Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan, said, the decision of increasing the minimum support price at Rs 1,800 per 40-kg was taken to facilitate the farmers while common would remain unaffected with this increase.

The decision was also taken in view of prices of wheat in the international market, he said.

The government has fixed a target of 26 million tonnes wheat production in the ongoing year, he said.

Aleem Khan said wheat support price has been increased by Rs 400 per maund (40 kg) in a year for the first time but the prices of flour would be not be increased.

“The support price of wheat has been increased to facilitate the farmers in the best possible way. But we have made sure that common man would not suffer from this increase and all steps have been taken to ensure that flour pries are not increased,” he said adding that the provision of wheat to flour mills would continue as per routine except for the month of April when wheat is procured.