Wheat procurement campaign likely to cross target

The wheat procurement drive of the provincial food department is going on with full swing and hopefully the department will cross the target of 3.5 million tons of wheat. Punjab food department started wheat procurement campaign for the current season from April 1st and set a target of 3.5 million tons. The food department established around 380 wheat procurement centres in the province.
The Punjab chief minister has already authorised the food department to go beyond the officially approved target of procuring 3.5 million tons if the price of wheat fell below the recently enhanced support price of rupees 400 per 40 kg.
Sources in the provincial food department told Business Recorder here on Thursday the department has started procuring wheat for the current season with the main objective to ensure better returns to the farmers, apart from building strategic food security reserves.
According to sources, the food department would continue wheat procurement campaign in the province till purchase of the last grain of wheat.
On the directions of chief minister a committee on wheat procurement has already been constituted to keep an eye on the procurement process as well as market price of wheat to safeguard the interests of farmers. At each wheat procurement centre of food department, the wheat growers in addition to wheat price were being paid Rs 3 per 100 kg as delivery charges, the sources claimed.
The government has announced that prizes would be given to the food department staff who would show outstanding performance during the wheat procurement campaign, the sources say.
It may be mentioned that this year no restriction has been imposed on wheat purchase, storage and its movement by the private sector. Apart from food department and Passco, flourmill owners, traders and purchasers from the NWFP are in the run for wheat procurement.
The sources further said that chief minister also asked the administrative secretaries that while on tour in their official capacity to different districts, to inspect the wheat procurement centres to monitor the progress of wheat procurement by the food department. All the officers/officials of the food department have been directed to extend maximum co-operation to the administrative secretaries during their visits.