PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa food department has purchased around 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat from growers in the province in the first phase of the ongoing procurement drive.

Last month, the provincial government announced that it would procure 300,000 tonnes of wheat from the local farmers.

A senior government official told Dawn that the food department had decided to purchase wheat from local growers in the first 10 days of the procurement drive.

He said that in the first phase, the department had managed to purchase around 20,000 metric tonnes of wheat from several districts of the province.

The official said that wheat procurement would continue until May 20 in other districts where the harvesting began late.

Official says Punjab farmers can also supply grain in second phase

He said that in the second phase, the procurement drive would be open to all growers.

“All growers, including those from our province as well as Punjab, can sell their wheat to our government. This will happen on a first-come, first-served basis,” he said.

The official, however, said that the food department’s teams wouldn’t go to Punjab to purchase wheat from its growers, which would have to transport the staple grain to the procurement centres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by themselves.

“We are only going to pay them the official wheat rate of Rs3,900 per 40 kilogrammes,” he said.

The official said that the KP government would not bear any costs related to transportation, loading or unloading, or any other expenses associated with the procurement of wheat.

He said that the procurement drive would continue until June 30, or the completion of the purchase of 300,000 tonnes of wheat.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has said it has taken several steps to ensure transparency in the exercise of wheat procurement.

Digital apps and cameras are being used to monitor the wheat procurement process across the province, according to an official statement issued by the food department.

It added that that the food department was using the policy of first come, first served to ensure fairness in the process, while standard operating procedures had been outlined to guide the wheat procurement process.

The department said that a multi-layer monitoring mechanism had also been devised to prevent irregularities in the wheat procurement process.

It added that digital moisture meters were being used to check wheat quality in the presence of providers and a notified committee.

“Similarly, acceptance and rejection certificates were generated through the app and signed by all committee members during the process,” it said.

In the statement, the department said that during the procurement process, the status of every centre was published daily for the people and farmers.

“The government has also taken strict action against violations, suspending three officers in the last 10 days. In addition, to facilitate the procurement process, instructions have been issued to provide facilities such as drinking water and proper vehicle management, ensuring a first-come, first-served condition,” it said.

The department said the food secretary and monitoring teams were actively visiting centers daily to oversee the process of wheat procurement.

“This drive aims to ensure a smooth and transparent wheat procurement process, benefiting farmers and the public in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” it said in the official statement.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2024