DADU, May 24 The target of wheat procurement would not be achieved in the district due to a dispute between government contractors of food department and officials.

The Sindh government has fixed a target of 1.09 million tons of which 1.07 million tons have been purchased. Now the officials have stopped to purchase wheat from growers on the pretext that banks were not providing funds for purchase of wheat as banks were returning challan of payments issued to the growers.

A small grower Ahmed Khan claimed that over 200,000 tons of wheat was lying with growers, who were waiting for food officials for procurement.

Another small grower, Maula Bux, alleged that approximately one million bags of wheat were purchased from big landlords from K.T Jatoi.

Reports said that due to a row between contractors and food officials over commission of Rs20 per bag, some 6,00,000 million bags of wheat were lying under open sky out side eleven procurement centres in the district.

A contractor of food department, Zaheer Ahmed, said that sub-standard wheat was purchased from some big growers and every bag of wheat was less in weight by five kg when recorded. He said mostly food officials had purchased wheat from dealers and agents, hence they were exerting pressure to pick wheat from personal Otaqs, shops and un-declared wheat centres.

He said that only he was bound to pick wheat from officially established procurement centres.It is apprehended that due to the ongoing dispute between food officials and contractors, wheat stocks would be affected in case of rains.

DFC Hassan Bux said banks had stopped payment since May 9 and challans issued by the department for payment to growers were returned as bank administration said that funds were not released from the State Bank.

An official of DFC office told on condition of anonymity that wheat worth Rs1.4 billion purchased so far would be damaged if it was not lifted in time. He said it was lying at Piaro Goth, Kalari, Sita village, Phulji, Khudabad, Changalani, Makhdoom Bilawal, Shah Panjo, Radhan and Sher Mohammad Solangi centres.