With the increase in wheat procurement target from 4 million tons to 6 million by the Punjab government, the wheat price shot up by Rs 30 to 50 per 40kg in different open grain markets of the province on Saturday.
Grain traders told Business Recorder that wheat price rose from Rs 850 to Rs 900 per 40kg in Rahimyar Khan' from Rs 880 to Rs 920 in Bahawalpur market, from Rs 910 to Rs 930 in Rajanpur and from Rs 900 to 920 in DG Khan grain market.
President Pakistan Agri Forum Ibrahim Moghal thanked the Punjab government for raising the FY 2009 wheat procurement target by 2 million tons and said "this is a very farmer-friendly decision as now the middlemen and market manipulators would not be in a position to fleece the farmers and depress the market.
He said different associations of farmers have also welcomed the government's decision to allow the growers to bring their produce in their own gunny bags in the Food Department's procurement centres for sale purposes. It has been reported that provision of gunny bags by the Food Department to the farmers at the procurement centres had become one of the major sources of corruption and mal-practices at the lower official level.