Participants of a seminar on 'Wheat Target and Farmers' on Wednesday warned the government to increase the wheat support price to Rs 1000 per maund instead of Rs 510, otherwise they would never sell their produce to the government.
The seminar was arranged by the Kisan Board Pakistan and chaired by Chamber of Agriculture Punjab President Sultan Ali Chaudhry. It was attended by Director General Agriculture (Extension & AR) Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali, Kisan Board President Zafar Hussein, Farooq Bajwa of Punjab Water Council, Ahsan Taqweem of Anjuman-e-Kashtkaran. Flour milling industry was representated by Bilal Aslam Sufi, KBP leaders Ramzan and Akhtar Farooq and Deputy Director Food Muhammad Hussein Khokhar.
Speakers said the government should give farmers international price of their produce when they are getting inputs at international rates. Chamber of Agriculture Punjab Chief claimed that wheat had been sown on 12 percent less area than last year. He said that fertiliser used had also been reduced this year and claimed that production would not be more than 20 million tons this year, whereas consumption was about 25 million tons in the country. He said that the government should determine the cost of production of this commodity and could fix special price for the consumers.
He also urged the farmers' community to create unity among their ranks and said their problems could not be solved unless they got themselves organised and united.
Dr Muhammad Anjum Ali urged the growers to adopt efficient management of resources to produce better yield with least use of resources. He said this year Punjab was given a target of sowing wheat on 15.8 million acres and production target of 18.5 million tons. He said that the department through a comprehensive strategy should mobilise the district governments to ensure in time provision of agricultural inputs to the farmers.
He accepted that fertiliser application till December was 36 percent less than the previous crop season. Nevertheless, he said, fertiliser application made record increase last season and application rate this year had not much difference as compared to years in the past.
He claimed that wheat crop was fine except in areas where it was affected due to rains and frost. He said that "we are monitoring the crop at district level" and would be able to give some figure by the end of the current month.
He said current month was very important for wheat and the province would get good crop if water is made available and temperature did not rise. Farooq Bajwa of Punjab Water Council hinted that Pakistan might get 3 to 3.5 million tons of less wheat this year. He said that if farmers of palm oil in Malaysia could get benefit of international prices, why not Pakistani farmers could get international prices of their wheat.
He also complained of high prices of agricultural inputs and shortage of canal water. He proposed that if the government gave farmers international price of their wheat produce, farmers should give one maund per acre to the poor people to facilitate them. He also asked the farmers not to sell their produce if they did not get reasonable price of their produce until government realises it.
Ahsan Taqweem of Anjuman-e-Kashtkaran, Haji Ramzan of KBP also expressed their concern over shortage of water and its impact on coming wheat crop. They also urged the food department to keep their attitude friendly during the coming wheat procurement season.
Deputy Director Punjab Food Department, Muhammad Hussein Khokhar said that they had been assigned the target of procuring 3.5 million tons wheat and department had planned to increase its procurement centres, arranged sufficient number of jute bags and other measures to make it friendly campaign.
He said that the department would also introduce a toll-free number for redressing the complaints. In a light mood he said that this year signs are coming that department would be after the farmers to meet its procurement target.