MULTAN, March 6: The Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) has demanded that the procurement of wheat below the official support price be declared a criminal offence.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, KBP president Sadiq Khan Khakwani urged the government to announce a wheat procurement policy before the start of harvesting.

He demanded that the support price of wheat be fixed at Rs400 per maund as the cost had been increased considerably since the enhancement of wheat support price to Rs300 per maund some two years ago.

He said the growers should not be exploited in the name of ‘export quality’ produce. Therefore, he stressed, the prices of fine average quality (FAQ) and export quality wheat should be fixed separately.

Rejecting the official procurement targets, the KBP chief demanded that the government should remain active in the market till the sale of the last grain of wheat.

Mr Khakwani said the temporary procurement centres should not be closed down and instead permanent sheds be erected there rather than using the canvas tops to cover the stocks. He said the procurement season be prolonged to four months besides announcing the prices of wheat on monthly basis.

He said that banks be directed to set up temporary booths at their branches for the speedy payment of growers’ dues of wheat.

He underlined the need of a uniform policy of PASSCO and the provincial food department regarding the procurement of export quality wheat. Growers’ representatives should also be designated at the procurement centres in order to check malpractice and corruption of the staff in distribution of gunny bags, weight-related issues and transport expenses.

He said wheat should also be included in the list of exports to Afghanistan along with flour so that growers could sell their produce for themselves.

He said the board had directed all its district and tehsil presidents to meet their respective Nazims and present them the board’s charter of demand. The KBP would table resolutions in favour of its demands on the forum of local bodies through peasant councillors, he added.

The KBP president said in case of non-acceptance of their demands the growers would organize protest rallies at the district headquarters throughout the Punjab on April 10. If the government did not pay heed to their demands, the board would hold a protest walk in Islamabad on April 25, he concluded.

DIRECTIVE: District coordination officer Azam Suleman has directed the city tehsil municipal administration to carry out the road construction and repair work in the city on war-footing in the wake of Muharram processions.