VEHARI, April 26: Wheat growers in Vehari and adjoining areas have been facing financial worries, thanks to apathy of the food department officials It is learnt that the government is merely making lofty claims of purchasing every grain and the growers are left at the mercy of the middlemen because they cannot store their crop and require money to purchase cotton crop inputs and pay back their debts.

A survey conducted by this correspondent on Wednesday revealed that the wheat crop had been sold between Rs340 and Rs350 per 40 kilogram in Vehari, Luddan, Machiwal, Adda Gulam Husain and other areas of the district.

The government has set up seven procurement centres where the food department officials are exploiting the growers. Kissan Board Pakistan spokesman Haji Tufail Warraich said the farmers were forced to sell their wheat crop to middlemen at Rs350, though the officially-announced price was Rs415 per 40 kilogram.

A group of farmers said out of the 300 wheat bags, the food department had purchased only 100 bags while the rest were declared as poor quality stuff. Later, they sold wheat to middleman at the local grain market at Rs350.

A farmer of Thingi colony area alleged that the procurement centres received Rs10 per bag from the growers as bribe before giving the price of the crop.

Meanwhile, the local farmer associations have criticized the reduction in the wheat target compared to last year.

When contacted, food department official Muhammad Khan said the department would purchase 850,000 bags this year in Vehari till May 31. Last year, he said, the department had purchased 1,800,000 bags. He said 28,000 wheat bags had already been purchased.

According to other farmers, they were facing a great deal of inconvenience in getting gunny bags which were being provided only on influential’ recommendation.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Passco has yet to start wheat procurement in Mailsi and Burewala, though the government had announced April 20 as the date of launching the drive.

Despite the situation, District Food Controller Hafeez Khan said the wheat target would be increased after a month.

ELECTION: The district union of journalists elections were completed on Wednesday.

Those elected are Azizullah Shah (chairman), Sheikh Khalid Masood (president), Nadeem Mushtaq Ramay (secretary-general), Imran Abbas Thaheem (senior vice-president), Imran Hafeez, Chaudhry Akram and Mureed Abbas Khawar (all vice-presidents) and Asim Chaudhry (finance secretary). Gulzar Baig was elected executive council chairman.