Food Security and Research: Ministry to procure 7.5 million tons wheat

Procurement to be made at govt-fixed rates of Rs1,300 per 40 kg

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research, in collaboration with provincial food departments, has finalised all arrangements to procure about 7.5 million tons of wheat at government-fixed rates to facilitate growers across the country.

“Wheat harvesting has started in Mirpur Khas Division of Sindh province and Provincial Food Department has also started procurement of grains from farmers at government-fixed rates of Rs1,300 per 40 kg,” said a senior official of the Ministry of Food Security and Research.

“Earlier, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet had approved the procurement of 7.5 million tons of wheat during the current procurement campaign,” he said, adding that the procured commodity would help boost domestic strategic reserves for food security as well as fulfil domestic consumption besides exporting the commodity.

“Punjab has been given a task to procure 4.5 million tons of wheat during the current procurement campaign. Sindh would procure about 1.1 million tons while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan would procure 0.35 million tons and 0.10 million tons respectively,” said the official giving details.

“The Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) would procure 1 million tons across the wheat growing areas of the country on officially fixed rates to help growers sell their produce,” he added.

The official further said that the crop outlook was good as reported by the field formation. 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th,  2016.

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