May 08, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 2, 1429

SAHIWAL, May 7: The Punjab Food Department has doubled the wheat procurement target for the districts most of which are well short of even the previously set target.

The Sahiwal food authorities have achieved only 14 per cent of the target so far. Each district has been asked to meet the new procurement target (doubled by the authorities) within the deadline of June 30.

The District Food Department has to procure 182,000 metric ton wheat during this year. Doubling the target, the provincial authorities have directed the districts to meet the new target. Now Sahiwal administration is bound to procure 320,000 ton wheat instead of 182,000 ton.

“We have procured 44,113 tons of wheat till May 5,” informed Muhammad Tauqeer, the district food controller. He said the district would meet the target.

Pakpattan, Vehari, Khanewal, Lodhran, Multan and Sahiwal have procured 33,994 ton, 44,442 ton, 20,798 ton, 33,598 ton, 37,763 ton and 44,113 tons of wheat, respectively. The DFC confirmed that private seed companies were still facing ban on wheat seed movement. “Only the Punjab Seed Corporation is allowed to move wheat seed from one place to another.” — Shafiq Butt Wheat target doubled all over Punjab