LAHORE, Feb 25: The Farmers Associates Pakistan (FAP) on Monday demanded wheat support price be increased to Rs1,250 per 40 kilo, as international price has already gone beyond Rs1,350 per 40kg.

A meeting of the FAP executive committee, chaired by Afaq Ahmad Tiwana, claimed the landed cost of imported wheat was Rs1,350 per 40kg. Thus, the government must increase domestic support price to Rs1,250 for the upcoming crop. Otherwise, farmers would suffer an irreparable loss, they warned and said that such an increase would alleviate poverty in rural areas. For the poor population, the government can provide subsidised flour, they suggested.

According to them, if a matching price of wheat was not given to farmers, wheat would continue to be smuggled to neighbouring countries, creating shortage in the country. —Staff Reporter