Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Muhammad Gondal on Tuesday said that the decision to raise wheat price was aimed at benefiting the small farmers and poor segments of the society. Responding to point raised by MNA Abdul Qadir Khanzada, he said the small farmers, cultivating 5 acres to 12 acres land were 98 percent of the agriculture sector and the wheat price was raised to facilitate the small farmers.
"It is also pertinent to mention here that the poor peasants in villages and towns are given wheat against their wages. The raised wheat price would also empower those poor peasants," he added. Shrugging off the impression given by the MNA that wheat price was raised to facilitate the landlords, he said that the policy aimed at facilitating majority of farmers, who are small cultivators.
Earlier, taking part in the debate over price hike, Abdul Qadir had said that the unprecedented raise in wheat price would only benefit the landlords. "This price raise would make the lives of the poor horrible and the people from poor and middle classes would not be able to buy wheat flour, which would be available at Rs 50 per kg," he said.
He said that though the country was agri-based, the prices of fertiliser had been raised to the extent that small farmers were unable to buy the fertilisers. "The artificial shortage of fertilizers aimed at raising the prices, and the government has fulfilled the designs by raising the fertilizers prices," he added.
He alleged that the government had raised the prices of daily use items and even the new prices were applicable on the Utility stores. "Despite tall claims, the edibles are being provided at utility stores on much higher prices. The prices of cooking oil, sugar, ghee and other commodities have recently been increased without any announcement by the officials concerned," he pointed out.
He said though the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was not providing standard facilities, yet it had been announced that the company would increase the fares from February 1, 2009.
"Same is the case with Railways as, despite the low standard of facilities, the Railways is in the habit of raising the fares," he added. He said that the government was getting Rs 15 billion as profit on petroleum products. Urging the government to address these issues, Qadir asked the government to take immediate measures to bring down the prices.