MUZAFFARGARH: This year, the spring heatwave is likely to affect the wheat crop as the grain is underweight, which means the procurement target is unlikely to be achieved.

Agriculture Officer Abdul Samad told Dawn that in the first two weeks of March this year, temperatures soared to 42 degrees Celsius in wheat area districts of south Punjab, bringing the crop to the premature harvesting stage.

In the last two years, unprecedented rain and hailstorm in March and April had battered the wheat crop in south Punjab.

This year, up to 6.7 million acres of wheat were cultivated in three divisions of south Punjab -- Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. The procurement target is 9.6 million metric tonnes, which is slightly higher from the last year’s 9.3 million metric tonnes.

Another agricultural officer, Shabbir Gishkori, said that on April 14, the average yield was 28 maund per acre, whereas the last year it was 34 maund. He said this year no rains occurred in March, which was also a negative factor.

The food department has distributed 47 per cent of gunny bags to farmers and so far, 23pc of the wheat has been bought in Multan and 20pc in Dera Ghazi Khan divisions.

Multan Commissioner Dr Irshad and DC Kareem Khan said that 184,000 metric tonnes was the target for Multan. The Muzaffargarh’s target is 131,000 metric tonnes.

District Food Controller Adeel Ahmad said that 50pc of the bardana was distributed to farmers and 20pc of wheat bags were received at procurement centres.

Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan administrations have deployed their officials to stop the smuggling of wheat out of the district.

With the season, middlemen are in the business and they are buying the crop at their own rates from farmers.

Farmers said they would not sell their yield to the food department for the department delayed payments and the process of getting gunny bags was very complex.

DFC Adeel said that the process of bandana release was based on a first-come-first-get scheme.

Traditionally, the harvesting season starts on April 13 on Besakhi day but this time the crop is already being harvested.

The government has fixed Rs2,200 per maund. Rumours are doing the rounds that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif may decrease the official rate to satisfy his urban voters.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2022