Rs 1,400 per 40-kg MSP for wheat recommended

The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFS&R) Monday recommended to set Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat crop 2019-20 at Rs1,400 per 40-kg. An official said that the Wheat Review Committee headed by Federal Minister for National Security and Research Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtyar decided to recommend to the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet to increase MSP of wheat crop 2019-20 from Rs1,365 per 40-kg at Rs1,400 per 40-kg.

The ECC on November 29, had raised the MSP to Rs1,365 per 40kg from Rs1,350 per 40-kg to support farmers.

The official said that the officials of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) during a presentation about weather forecast told the meeting that the expected weather condition in the end of March was likely to adversely affect the standing wheat crop especially in central Punjab.

Rains during this time are not good for farmers, as humidity not only affects the quality of wheat, but can also cause rust and fungus in the crop, which may cause serious damage to the total output.

He said that the committee issued directives to concerned department to launch an awareness campaign so that farmers could take timely measures in this regard.

The Wheat Review Committee meeting was attended by the federal and provincial secretaries, representatives of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco), wheat exporters, and senior officials of the Ministry of NFS&R.

The official said that the representatives of the concerned departments informed the meeting that a stock of 2.235 million tons of wheat was available in the country.

The meeting expressed satisfaction over the availability of sufficient quantity of wheat stock in the country to meet the needs. The official said that the meeting directed all stockholders to achieve wheat procurement targets of 8.25 million tons.

Out of 8.25 million tons, the Passco will procure 1.80 million metric tons, Punjab 4.50 million metric tons, Sindh 1.40 million metric tons, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 0.45 million metric tons, and Balochistan province 0.10 million metric tons.

The official of the Sindh government informed the meeting that its food department would start wheat procurement process from March 15, while Punjab was expected to begin wheat procurement in April. The committee also recommended allowing Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government to procure wheat from adjoining districts of Punjab, he said.

He said that the meeting also directed the Passco standardized wheat bags should be used to reduce the wastage of wheat during transportation. The committee also recommended provincial governments to ban supply of wheat for poultry sector as feed in order to ensure availability of sufficient wheat stock for domestic consumption. The Wheat Review Committee also recommended that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) might be asked to facilitate flour millers in financial matters in terms of procurement of wheat, he said.