The Sindh food department has failed to start wheat procurement in Kashmore and Jacobabad districts, forcing growers to sell their harvest to traders at a much lower price than the government’s fixed rate, it is learnt.
Interestingly, the number of procurement centres has increased to 25 in both districts this year but the purchase target was brought down to 400,000 bags, each weighing 100 kilogrammes. Last year, 17 procurement centres were established while 610,000 bags were purchased from growers, said officials.
Growers from both districts produced a handsome crop this year on expectation that the government will purchase more wheat. Wheat procurement in both districts was supposed to start from March 20.
District Food Controller Jacobabad Asghar Naich, who was also in charge of affairs in Kashmore, told The Express Tribune that though wheat procurement centres had been established, the commodity purchase was delayed as gunny bags had not been supplied as yet.
Sindh Abadgar Board Kashmore Chapter General Secretary G M Khoso said that two trucks of gunny bags had been sent to Kashmore district but he feared that they might land in the hands of influential landlords or sold to middlemen.
Wheat is currently lying under open sky and growers fear that the commodity may be damaged as rain is expected in coming weeks.
Traders taking advantage of this situation were purchasing wheat from the growers for Rs750 to Rs800 per 40 kilogrammes compared to the government’s rate of Rs950, officials added.
Wheat still reaching Afghanistan despite ban
Officials claimed that despite the ban on inter-district wheat movement, 30 to 35 trucks loaded with wheat were being transported to Afghanistan via Balochistan, Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The Sindh government on Sunday banned inter-district movement of wheat and flour, particularly in adjacent districts of Karachi and districts on the Sindh-Punjab border.
Police deployed at Dera More checkpost with the alleged backing of some food department officials were said to be charging Rs5,000 per truck of wheat and Rs10,000 per trailer of wheat to go ahead.
G M Khoso said that dozens of trucks and trailers loaded with wheat were being transported to Afghanistan.
However, District Food Controller Jacobabad Asghar Naich said that his staff along with police was deployed at exit points of all districts and large-scale smuggling was not possible. He added that on Thursday they stopped four trucks on their way to Balochistan and shifted the confiscated commodity to a government warehouse.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2011.
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