‘76% wheat procurement target achieved’

More than 2.6 million tonnes of wheat procured

LAHORE:

Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan said on Wednesday till now 76% wheat procurement target had been achieved after procuring more than 2.6 million metric tonnes of wheat. Official sources said the minister said that more than 98% gunny bags had been distributed across the province and purchase activities were smoothly underway at the purchase centres.

The senior minister said the food department was providing the best facilities to farmers at wheat procurement centres adding that wheat was being purchased at a price of Rs1,800 per maund.

The senior minister further said that farmers could sell their wheat at wheat purchase centres of the food department without any hesitation.

Regarding action against hoarders, he highlighted that strict action was being taken against wheat hoarding in the province.

The food department had taken into custody 11,500 bags of wheat in Mandi Bahauddin whereas 27,600 sacks from Gujranwala division, he elaborated.

He said that 12,000 wheat sacks had been seized from private warehouse in Bahawalpur adding that wheat bags had also been seized from Sialkot, Wazirabad and other cities.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2021.