SWABI: Wheat from Punjab has flooded the markets here, having a far-reaching negative impact on the weak financial condition of local farmers.

Farmers told Dawn on Thursday that they couldn’t compete with their counterparts in Punjab, who had a “perfect” irrigation system and financial support from their provincial government.

They complained that they suffered from the neglect of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, which was focused more on protests for the release of PTI incarcerated leader Imran Khan than on people’s and their welfare.

“This issue cropped up last year as well when wheat was sold for Rs6,500 per 50kg bag but the arrival of Punjab wheat pushed the price down to Rs4,000. Now, the same is available for Rs3,000,” said grower Zar Mohammad from Maneri Bala.

Acknowledged that people prefer wheat from Punjab, he wondered how local farmers could prevent the impact of the price drop.

Farmers said that the cost they incurred on growing wheat wasn’t being recovered, so their hard work of six to seven months would go to waste, causing financial problems for them.

They said it was responsibility of the provincial government to take steps to protect financial interests of the local growers as whenever the flow of wheat flour was stopped by Punjab in past, it were KP’s growers who played a “dominant role”.

“If the Punjab growers’ interest will be harmed by KP’s farmers, the Punjab government will never allow that to happen. Now, our question is why our government is acting as a silent spectator,” he said.

The farmers also complained climate change and the government’s failure to develop the agriculture sector though it is the backbone of the economy.

Mohammad Ali Dagiwal of the Kashtkar Coordination Council said there was an urgent need of coordination and cooperation between the government and farmers.

He, however, said the more serious issue was that the rulers had never tried to meet the needs of farmers and instead, they imposed heavy taxes while always claiming to be focusing on developing the agriculture sector.

District president of Kisan Board Khalid Khan said the government had failed to live up to the expectations of the growers in the province.

Wheat dealers said those purchasing wheat for their families preferred the one coming in from Punjab.

Meanwhile, light rainfall on Thursday disrupted the threshing of the wheat crop.

The growers said it was not possible to thresh the wet crop, which should first be dried.

“Rainfall at this stage is very harmful for the crop. We’ve always wanted clear skies in this season,” farmer Gul Nabi Khan told Dawn.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2025