On the start of wheat procurement campaign, the Punjab government has banned movement of wheat and flour out of the province from April 15 to June 30.
Business Recorder has learnt that the Punjab Highway Patrolling police have set up 11 check posts on the borders with NWFP, Balochistan and AJK to stop movement of this staple food, shortage of which has already created a crisis in the country.
These posts have started vigilance at Rojhan Tower, district Rajanpur, Sakhi Sarwar and Triman district D.G. Khan, Darya Khan district Bhakkar, Chashma Barrage and Jinnah Barrage district Mianwali, Tibbi Sar district Rawalpindi, Khushhal Garh Burj district Attock, Kotkey district Attock, Bariyan district Rawalpindi and Hassan Abdal district Attock.
Every post is manned by an ASI, 15 constables, four drivers and a langri (cook) to work in four shifts of six hours each. These teams are equipped with patrolling cars, wireless and walky talky sets and mobile phones. DIG Mian Mohammad Asif, who will monitor performance of these patrolling police teams, has issued a standard operation procedure (SOP) to check free movement of wheat and flour out of Punjab.
It may be added that Punjab province produces about 18 million tons of wheat, out of which eight million surplus wheat is provided to Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. For many years Pakistan government has also been arranging more than 0.6 million tons of wheat to meet food requirements of the war torn Afghanistan.
However, this year Pakistan like other developing countries is facing food shortage due to decline in agriculture production. According to experts'' estimates, Pakistan is 3 million tons deficit in wheat production this season to meet its growing food needs.
The Punjab government has set a wheat procurement target of 4.3 million tons, (3 million for Punjab Food department, 1 million for NWFP and 0.3 million for Balochistan province) from this harvest at a rate of Rs 625 per 40kg. However, various bodies of farmers and growers have rejected this official price as they say it is much below their production cost.
Leaders of the Kissan Board Pakistan, Punjab Water Council, Farmers Association Punjab and Basmati Growers Association held a meeting here on Tuesday and discussed their ongoing tussle with the government. Talking to Business Recorder, Convenor Punjab Water Council Farooq Bajwa said the farmers'' bodies had again demanded at least Rs 1,000 per 40kg which was at least Rs 200 less than the current international wheat price.
He alleged that the Punjab Government had asked the flourmills, ginners association and other buyers not to buy wheat from the farmers till the government achieved its procurement target at cheap rates. Bajwa said this move was against the fundamental rights and exploitation of the farming community, which would be challenged in the superior courts.
He said there was still time that the government should negotiate wheat price with the farmers associations otherwise the growers would not sell their wheat to the government at this low rate. He argued that the government would have to import at least 3 million tons of wheat from the international market at an exorbitant price of Rs 1,500 plus for 40kg.
Bajwa said it would be in the national interest if the government patronised its own farmers and paid them a reasonable price of its produce than to pay a much higher price to the farmers of other countries. He warned if the government exercised coercive measures to purchase wheat from the farmers, then it would not be in a position to control the resultant upheaval and agitation.
He contended that the Pakistani farmers did not have a fair deal from the past governments and only government functionaries and market players prospered on their labour and toil. He said the prices of fertilisers and other agri-inputs had gone beyond the reach of a farmer, therefore instead of farming, he was struggling to switch over to other business.