Pakistan Kisan Board (PKB) on Wednesday observed a protest day here on Wednesday against, what they called, anti-farmer policy of the government. Protest rally was taken out to reject the government's anti-farmer policy.
Punjab Kisan Board President Khurshid Ahmed Kanju, while talking to newsmen, said the government was supporting and facilitating traders and middlemen instead of farmers. He said traders and middlemen had purchased wheat at Rs 350 to 370 per 40-kg from growers. When the traders completed their task, the government had announced support price to procure the wheat at Rs 415 per 40-kg to facilitate the traders.
He said that rulers had left farmers at the mercy of fleeces and middlemen. Bardana was also given only to influential people and not a single gunny bag was given to small farmers during the entire process of procuring the wheat.
Provincial Secretary General Munir Ahmed Bodla said the cost of production was increasing day by day. "Our canals are dried-up and we are forced to use diesel-fed tube-wells, but again the price of petroleum products has been increased, which definitely will affect growers." He said they would continue their protest till the compensation of farmers.