LAHORE: In a rare show of unity, both treasury and opposition benches in the Punjab Assembly joined their voices on Wednesday to draw government’s attention towards the plight of wheat growers.

When the issue of extremely low prices of the new wheat crop in the market was raised, most of the MPAs from across the aisle came on the same page as Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan also supported the cause.

Mr Khan said ministers concerned should meet the chief minister to come up with a wheat procurement policy.

The assembly session started with a usual delay of one hour and 45 minutes. At the beginning of the proceedings, opposition MPA Rana Shehbaz lamented that wheat growers were being offered very low price in the market and claimed that middlemen were offering growers just Rs2,800 per 40kg against the minimum support price of Rs3,900.

MPAs seek probe into import by caretakers when enough grain was in stocks

Agriculture minister Ashiq Kirmani held the caretaker government responsible for the situation, claiming the caretakers had imported wheat unnecessarily when the province had enough grain in its stock. He said that a solution was being worked out in consultation with the food department.

The speaker urged them to meet the chief minister for bringing a clear wheat policy as the farmers of Punjab were worried.

Opposition leader Ahmed Khan Bhachar said farmers owning up to 12 acres of land had sold their grain at throwaway prices to the middleman.

Treasury member Iftikhar Chhachhar regretted that the food department could not so far appoint staff at the wheat procurement centres, and demanded forming a committee comprising MPAs and government officials to resolve the issue.

Sardar Muhammad Khan said that the government was determined to `eliminate’ farmers.

Criticising the government’s wheat policy, the MPAs demanded an investigation into the import of wheat by the caretaker government.

The speaker announced that the house would discuss wheat and agriculture issues in its sitting on Thursday (today).

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2024