LAHORE: The Punjab Food Department has warned of registration of cases and a legal action against those who will procure wheat under the garb of fake seed companies in the coming procurement season.

Secretary Food Punjab Muhammad Zaman Wattoo has also made it clear that such companies would not be allowed to lift a single grain which would not provide details of farmers working with them for seed multiplication.

Wattoo said seed mafia would not be allowed to smuggle wheat out of the province. Meanwhile in a letter to the federal ministry of the national food security and research, the Punjab Secretary Food said that there was mushroom growth of seed companies particularly in South Punjab.

Although there are many bonafide and genuine companies, there are serious doubts about the genuineness of majority of the companies. There are reports from the field formations that many seed companies hoard wheat for flour Mills and indulge in speculations, the letter adds.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023