Hapless farmers still await govt nod for wheat purchase
Pakistan
Farmers' leader says the government has failed to honour its word
LAHORE (Dunya News) – The government has failed to provide gunny bags to farmers and purchase their wheat even after more than two-week standoff.
The government had announced that it would provide bardana (gunny bags) and purchase wheat from 119,000 registered farmers but the announcement could not be materialised.
Sources said the farmers were forced to sell off their produce at throwaway price between Rs2,800 and Rs3,300 per maund.
They said the flour millers were buying and storing the wheat.
According to the government announcement, the bardana distribution was to start on April 20 but the farmers are still awaiting it.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Kissan Ittehad president Khalid Hussain said the government had not honoured its promises with the farmers.
Food Minister Bilal Yasin said there was a stock of 2.3 million metric tons of wheat in Punjab which was enough for the whole year. He said wheat was unnecessarily imported in the interim set-up, creating a crisis for the farmers.
He said the prime minister had ordered probe and the report would be made public at the earliest.
