BAHAWALPUR, May 1: Wheat purchase by private sector in Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan will be suspended from May 4 for a week.

This was announced by Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) president Sheikh Abbas Raza here on Saturday.

According to a press release, the decision was taken at a meeting between the millers, food deputy director and district food controller earlier in the day.

It was mutually agreed that the food department should be facilitated to meet its target of 550,000 metric tons of wheat from the three districts.

To achieve this object, millers would not procure wheat and even other licence holders would also refrain from purchasing wheat till May 10.

The millers also agreed that action should be taken against unauthorized purchase.

With the government-millers agreement, it was expected that wheat price would come down from Rs385 per 40 kilograms.

DAMAGE: Meanwhile, damage to the wheat crop and mango orchards has been reported due to rain and windstorm in Ahmadpur East and Liaquatpur tehsils.

Standing wheat crop over a large area has been damaged due to rain in Liaquatpur tehsil, while mango orchard in Ahmadpur tehsil damaged due to windstorm.