LAHORE, March 13: The Punjab government on Sunday fixed a wheat procurement target of 3.5 million tons with a pledge to purchase till last grain if the situation so demanded.

Presiding over a high-level meeting, Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi approved a target of 3.5 million ton against the wishes of donor agencies and the federal government. Both wanted the Punjab to cut its procurement target and let private sector play its role.

“The provincial government has withstood donors’ pressure because anything less than 3.5 million ton can endanger food security of the country,” says one of the Punjab food officials.

Last year, the province started the season with 2.5 million ton and the country ended up importing 1.5 million ton. That showed that the country needed around four million ton stocks to safely see the season through. Keeping that figure in mind, he said the Punjab had stuck to its guns against pressure from the federal government and the donors.

According to the new procurement policy, the Punjab government will start providing bardana (jute bags) to farmers from 24th and a formal purchase will start from April 1. The department has put up 447 flag centres, almost double from 227 centres last year.

The only difference is that this year the government has constituted a committee to oversee both price stability and procurement mechanism and pace. The committee includes agriculture and food ministers, agriculture, food, finance, planning and development secretaries and the Punjab chief secretary. —

Staff Reporter