'Farmers to be given free seeds, fertiliser for wheat cultivation'

CM Shahbaz says the government has decided to provide free seed to farmers as crops have been destroyed due to floods.

ISLAMABAD: Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif has said that the government has decided to provide free seed and fertiliser to farmers for the upcoming wheat season.

Addressing a donors’ conference in Punjab House Islamabad, the CM said the floods are causing widespread destruction even now as millions have been displaced and crops destroyed. He said that the rehabilitation of flood victims is a challenge for the government.

Sharif said Pakistan still reels from the devastation caused by the floods.

The World Food Programme's country director for Pakistan, Wolfgang Herbinger had earlier said that while crops have suffered a lot of damage, “wheat land is still secure. The country still has enough wheat, which is the ingredient for high energy biscuits and baby food.”

Earlier this month, the government deferred plans to export its surplus wheat, after devastating floods washed away grain stocks and raised concerns about the next crop.

Punjab government hikes wheat prices

The Punjab government's food department today set wheat price for mills at Rs1,000 one for 40kg. The price of flour in Faisalabad has increased to Rs570 five for a 20kg bag in the open market. Flour mill owners however, have increased the ex-mill rate for 20kg from Rs510 to Rs560.

Locals are complaining about the sudden spike after Ramazan but mill owners appear to be bent upon increasing ex-mill rates further and have sent a notice to the Punjab government proposing a rate of Rs600 from next month.