LAHORE: Farmers have criticised the Punjab government for ending the six-decade-old wheat procurement mechanism and called it a move that will risk national food security.

Kisan Board Pakistan Vice-President Amanullah Chattha said on Friday that by ending the official procurement system without giving a deep thought, the government was now forced to spend precious foreign exchange for importing one million tonne grain to ensure national food security.

“It’s an economic tragedy that the government has to take this step around two months after local wheat harvesting.”

Mr Chattha regretted that the government refused to offer a good guaranteed rate to local wheat growers, but it was now ready to pay a higher price to foreign farmers.

He recalled that the government had promised the growers that their wheat would be procured through private aggregators at a rate of Rs3,500 per 40kg but no proper mechanism was framed for it and consequently they were forced to sell their produce to stockists and arhtis at less than Rs3,000 per 40kg.

He said they were now exploiting urban consumers by marketing the same grain at a rate up to Rs5,000.

The farmer leader demanded that the government hold the devisers of the current agriculture policy accountable, who had caused losses to the growers, consumers and the national kitty.

He advised the government to adopt a farmer-friendly policy for ensuring national food security.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2026