LAHORE, April 27: The Punjab Food department and the Pakistan Agriculture Services and Storage Corporation (Passco) have procured around 1.27 million tons of wheat against their combined target of 4.5 million tons till Monday.

Both the official agencies are yet to hit their peak procurement pattern despite being in the market for around 18 days. The food department could manage 72,000 tons on Monday, with total purchases standing at 825,000 tons against the target of 3.5 million tons.

On the same day, Passco bought 20,000 tons, which raised its procurement to 352,000 tons against 1.4 million tons target. The officials of the food department, however, are determined to achieve their target which they term national necessity for gaining food security. They are already conducting raids throughout the province to seize illegally hoarded commodity.

The Passco people on the other hand seem resigned to the fact of missing the target. "The corporation may not be able to hit the target as farmers are not coming to it," says an official of the Passco.

Normally, the corporation starts getting 60,000 to 70,000 tons a day during the peak procurement season. But, this year, it is hardly managing 20,000 to 25,000 tons. In all probability, the corporation will miss its target until any unforeseen thing happens.

Meanwhile, following negotiations with the Pakistan Flour Mills Association, the Punjab government has allowed the millers to procure wheat equal to their 24 hours grinding capacity.