MULTAN, Jan 6: The government has extended the last date for the import of wheat by the private sector from Feb 15 to Feb 28.Wheat Commissioner Shakeel Ahmed Khan in a letter has informed the State Bank that the private sector had now been allowed to bring their shipments to Pakistan by Feb 28.

Khawaja Muhammad Shoaib of Farmers Vision Forum said that the government decision for the import of wheat through the private sector was appreciable as it gave new direction to the wheat import without any subsidy. The Trading Corporation Pakistan’s wheat import price ranges between $360 and $410 per ton, while the private sector imported wheat at $182 to $192 per ton.

He said that the government imported 1.7 million tons wheat through the TCP, which failed to stabilise the market prices but after the arrival of only 250,000 tons wheat through the private sector the price declined from Rs29,000 to Rs18,500 per ton in Karachi. The flour is now selling in Karachi’s open market at rates less than the government’s control price.

He said that the attractive procurement price of wheat announced by the government led to achieve the target well in time, while the suitable weather conditions and rains are further boosting the crop.

He said that it was necessary to ensure the arrival of wheat before the end of Feb and the government should ask the State Bank to restrict the private sector to open letters of credit not later than the Feb 1.

He said the decision of the ministry to delay import of wheat by the private sector was a conspiracy against the growers and the corrupt elements in the ministry wanted to harm the farming community only for their personal benefits.

Central general secretary Kissan Board Jam Hazoor Bakhsh said that instead of making farmers-friendly policies, the Minfal has always introduced such measures that created problems for the farming community.

He said that instead of making arrangements to drain out all available stocks of wheat before the coming of new crop, the ministry wanted to pile up stocks of wheat in the country to damage the farmers’ interests.

He said that the government had already imported 1.7 million tons wheat and the orders for 0.7 million tons have also been placed, while the private sector is going to import 0.3 million tons.

How the government would be able to manage the expected bumper crop when large stocks of wheat are already available in the country, he asked and added that nobody would purchase the crop from the farmers as it was witnessed in case of sugarcane, rice and cotton crops.

He suggested that the bank margin should be reduced for the purchase of wheat crop, while the government should provide loans to the growers against their wheat stocks so that they could be able to sell their produce on the government fixed price.