Sindh govt releases Rs5.6b to procure 1.4m tons of wheat

Early harvest of staple grain starts in Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad

KARACHI:

The provincial government has released funds to buy wheat from growers at designated procurement centres, where ATMs will be available for farmers to draw their payments without delay.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday approved immediate release of Rs5.6 billion to start procurement of 1.4 million metric tons (1 ton = 1,000kgs) of wheat in three divisions, Shaheed Benazirabad, Mirpurkhas and Hyderabad where early crop of wheat is being harvested. Officials have started distributing bardana or gunny sacks to growers so that they can bring the staple grain to the procurement centres.

He took this decision on Wednesday while presiding over a meeting to review progress of wheat procurement target for year 2021-22. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtyaz Shah, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Finance Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro, Food Secretary Raja Khurram Shahzad, and other officers concerned.

Secretary food briefing the chief minister said that the government has fixed a procurement target at 1.4 million tons at a support price of Rs2,200 per 40kgs or Rs55 per kilogramme. The CM was told that as per target, 341,110 tons of grain will be procured from Sukkur Division, 379,230 tons from Shaheed Benazirabad, 380,270 tons from Larkana, 58,240 tons from Mirpurkhas and 241,150 tons from Hyderabad. The provincial government has set up 167 procurement centres for buying wheat from the growers.

The food department has started distributing bardana for procurement of wheat from Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, and Hyderabad division.

Food secretary said that his department needed Rs5.6 billion urgently so that payment to the growers could be made. At this the chief minister directed Finance Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro to issue advice for the release of Rs5.6 billion by this evening. He also directed secretary food to set up ATMs for the growers to enable them to cash the payment of their crops then and there.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2022.