Pakistan Muttahida Kisan Mahaz (PMKM) has suggested to the Punjab government to come forward and buy wheat from growers at Rs 950 per maund on a credit of six weeks to save the farmers from being exploited by middlemen and avoiding delay in official wheat procurement due to financial constraints.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, PMKM Chief Muhammad Ayub Khan Mayo claimed that if the Punjab government steps forward and lift wheat from growers at the rate of Rs 950 per maund for a credit of six weeks, then all the growers' organisations would cooperate with it, while the growers would get payment of their crop in line with the support price.
He said that farmers were well aware of the fact that the Punjab government did not have sufficient money to initiate its wheat procurement drive. He said that growers were ready to go for credit to show their patriotism. He said that in open market rate of wheat at present was Rs 850 per maund while in South Punjab it was being bought by middlemen at the rate of Rs 750 to 800 per maund. He feared that this wheat could be smuggled and a food crisis would emerge in Pakistan in future.
Mayo said that the government had also failed to construct wheat storage due to which there was storage sufficient for only 2.6 million tons of wheat through out the country, while Pakistan was having a production of around 23 million tons for the last many years.
He claimed that growers would also be happy to rent out their lands for construction of wheat storage. He also urged the government not to export 2.5 million tons of wheat and instead it should be provided to supply flour to the masses on cheaper rates.
PMKM Chief appealed to the chief minister Punjab to take action on this offer of the growers within next twenty-four hours to save them from being exploded by middlemen. It may be recalled here that the Punjab government had announced to start wheat procurement drive in the province from April 20 and the target fixed for this year was five million tons.