Worst nightmare: Rains threaten wheat harvest

More than 90% of crop yet to be harvested.

MULTAN:

Farmers fear that wheat worth millions of rupees may be washed away as the rainy season has turned into a nightmare.

Due to inconsistent rains in southern Punjab, more than 90 per cent of cultivated wheat has still not been harvested. Wheat had been cultivated on 10.8 million acres of land, with majority of the cultivation in Punjab.

Rains have already affected some areas of cultivated land and the harvested commodity is awaiting purchase by the government. However, the government has been delaying purchase of wheat from farmers.

At present, thousands of tons of the commodity are lying under the open sky, which may create a shortage in the country as the government has no proper storage arrangements.

According to Kissan Board Southern Punjab President Fayaz Hasan, wheat cannot be cultivated on approximately 1.5 million acres of fertile land due to last year’s floods. The biggest victims of the current conditions are small farmers, who have less than 12.5 acres of land.

The Government of Punjab has set up several centres to procure wheat in the province, of which seven are actively operational. The government has also planned to purchase wheat at the rate of Rs950 per 40 kilogrammes from farmers beginning April 20.

However, due to lack of government interest, farmers have been selling wheat in the open market at a rate of Rs820 to Rs860 per 40 kg in the absence of alternative options.

The government is also exporting wheat at Rs1,200 per 40 kg, which is the lowest price in Asia, according to a recent federal cabinet meeting.





Published in The Express Tribune, April 17^th, 2011.