LAHORE: Farmers criticized the provincial government decision of maintaining the wheat support price at previous year of Rs 3900 per maund and asked for an upward revision and fix it at Rs 5000 per maund in line with the hike in agricultural inputs, electricity and other utility charges.

Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) Central President Sardar Zafar Hussain Khan, KBP Punjab President Mian Rasheed Minhala and Chief Coordinator Akhtar Farooq Mayo addressing a press conference on Friday evening said the very first decision of Maryam Nawaz-led government had provided anti-farmer and anti-agriculture.

They said to avoid the burden of increase in wheat support price, the government should subsidize flour for the urban population by reducing their own expenses incurred on their protocol and other luxuries.

They also alleged that the rulers were also looking forward to develop agricultural trade with India to totally ruin the national agricultural economy. They said that policies of the present government would only benefit a few while economy of the farmers would eclipse. He also referred to the wheat support price fixed in Sindh at Rs 4600 per maund.

Sardar Hussain said if present policies continued, the growers would go for alternative crops from next season instead of wheat. “It would lead to spend precious foreign exchange on import of grain to feed the citizen,” he added. The KBP President warned if the wheat support price is not revisited, they will have no other option but to approach the judiciary or come on roads.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024