ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the federal cabinet has put Pakistan’s food security at risk by delaying a decision on announcement of wheat support price for 2020-21.
The ECC took a summary of the ministry of National Food Security in its meeting held on October 19, 2020 and, instead taking a final decision to approve and announce wheat support price for the current wheat year, intentionally delayed it.
The ECC meeting, chaired by advisor to prime minister on Finance and Revenue, Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, rather than taking a prompt decision formed a committee comprising around half a dozen federal ministers, to have its proposals. The constitution of a committee on a subject which needed urgent attention of the ECC will simply delay the decision and keep the agriculturists in limbo to put the national food security at risk.
In the case of wheat support price announcement, it’s the time which matters the most. If ECC or any other forum keeps playing a game of committees, it will end-up at disappointing the farmers and compel them to shift to other crops rather than sowing wheat.
The wheat sowing season starts in the first week of October and it ends-up on November 20. The farmers who sow wheat after this period have to use 10 kg additional seed to meet the average seed per acre requirement.
The wheat support price only matters and results in sowing of more area if it’s announced well in time. Its ideal time is mid of September so that the farmers have a clear idea as to what price they will be selling their grain at the end of the season. If wheat support price announcement is delayed, as its being done by PTI government now, it keeps the agriculture sector in disarray and the farmers will not be able to have a clear picture as to what will be per acre input cost and if per acre harvest will give them any benefit in financial terms.
The ECC ‘s deferment of wheat support in its last meeting has sent a very bad signal to the agriculture sector of Pakistan and at the end its going to cost very high price to the government which will be left with no other option, but to import grain to meet the local requirement.
Pakistan was deficient in wheat last year. It has to import the commodity to meet local demand. It resulted in expense of millions of dollars, besides stoking- up the flour prices in the local market. A 40 kg imported wheat bag cost the millers at around Rs 2100.
Since March-April this year, the people are forced to buy flour at higher prices for the same reason. This has earned bad name to the PTI government also.
Sources said the provinces had submitted their summaries suggesting the ECC to enhance support price substantially. Punjab had proposed increase of Rs 250 for per 40 kg wheat to fix support price for the current wheat year at Rs 1650, Sindh proposed Rs 1745, Balochistan 1700 and KPK Rs 1800 wheat support price.
These proposals of the province had no ambiguity for which Dr Hafeez Shaikh formed the committee of federal ministers.
The ECC, instead pushing Pakistan into difficult situation for another year and force it to live on import, should have taken a firm decision on wheat support price.
The ECC, particularly Hafeez Shaikh, has already become a dubious character by delaying wheat import that led to crisis- like- situation in the country in recent months and now again the same forum seems inclined to play a dirty game by delaying announcement of wheat support price.
According to the official figures, Pakistan would need 27 million tons wheat this year to meet its demand of 212 million population.
Rabia Sultan a progressive grower and director Formers Association of Pakistan (FAP) expressed disappointment over ECC decision of delaying approval of wheat support price. She said “ Its great cause of concern for farming community that ECC intentionally delayed wheat support price announcement and its outcome will definitely not be in the interest of the country”.
She demanded of prime minister, Imran Khan, to intervene to ensure wheat support price announcement is made without any delay. In her opinion, delayed announcement to this effect will be of no use.
Rabia Sultan said “ Its time which matters for wheat support price announcement and if ECC kept on forming committees it will pose serious threat to the national food security”.
“In the given situation and experience a yearlong crisis of flour, ECC should have announced wheat support price much before”, Mian Riaz, a miller said by phone from Lahore.
