ISLAMABAD: The federal government has added to confusion over announcement of minimum wheat support price as.it could not take a firm.decision even by closing of October when sowing season is just ending in two wèeks and subsequently it left the growers of this country high and dry.
The growers even in the first week of November do not have any idea at what price the government will procure the grain from them.
In such a situation nothing will allure them to opt for wheat crop and it will end-up at less sowing and so less crop production.
The central government seems in total confusion on the subject in hand as its decision-making forums like Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) showed total incompetence to come up with a clear and admissible working on minimum wheat support price .
Time was essence in announcement of minimum wheat support price. An announcement in early October could encourage the growers to sow more area to help the government meet its target of 27 million tons for 2020-21.
Sources said ECC had sheer difference of views over provinces demand as its two key members…Hafeez Shaikh (advisor and cbairman) and Razak Dawood (advisor on Commerce) strongly opposed to their demand of a reasonable upward revision in minimum wheat support.price for current wheat year.
Sources added these two members of the committee flatly turned down the demand of the provinces to fix minimum support price at Rs 1745 per 40 kg.
These two members also over rulled Fakhar Imam, federal minister for National Food Security , who fully supported the provinces for the increase in minimum wheat support price, and took a solo decision to fix the commodity price at Rs 1600.
According to the sources, a lobby headed by Hafeez Shaikh had damaged the cotton crop in the same fashion that resulted in less cotton production this year. His policy of delaying key decision of agriculture sector has cost Pakistan’s farming community very dearly.
In the case minimum wheat support price , the same lobby has managed to waste the time by delaying its announcement .
The farmers representatives have serious concern over the ECC working. They believe Hafeez Shaikh was intentionally damaging to Pakistan’s farming community through different tactics and delaying of announcement of minimum support price of wheat was its ample proof.
The farmers community also deplore prime minister’s lack of understanding of issues of agriculture sector.
The Farmers today feel betrayed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government .
“This PTI government has proven itself the worst in Pakistan’s history as it seems totally oblivious to farm sector”, Haji Ibrahim, a grower from Rahimyar Khan said on Sunday.
Rabia Sultan, Farmers of Pakistan (FAP) director and progressive grower, also showed serious concern over delaying of announcement of minimum wheat support price. She said the government looks indifferent to the agriculture sector that will end of the day expose food security of the country.
Seeing indifference of the federal government, Sindh has already announced Rs 2000 minimum support price of wheat for the growers.
Meanwhile, speaker Punjab assembly, Chaudhary Pervez Elahi , has called the Federal government policy on wheat crop a big failure. In his talk to media in Narowal on November 1 2020 ,’ Pervez Elahi said increase of Rs 200 for the current wheat year was a joke with the growers and this will not serve any purpose.