Pak’s Sindh slams Imran Khan govt over wheat support price, calls it ‘anti-farmers’

The Sindh government in Pakistan slammed the Imran Khan led government for being an anti-farmer’ regime as it is giving lower wheat support price to farmers as compared to the provincial government.

The federal government has fixed the price of wheat at Rs 1,800 per 40 kg, while the Sindh province had set the price at Rs 2,000 per 40 kg.

The farmers have announced to stage a ‘dharna’ (protest) on March 31 to continue their protest over the hike in prices of electricity, fertilisers, agricultural products, and diesel.

Ismail Rahu, the provincial minister for agriculture in Sindh, said that the price is against the interests of growers and that is expected to result in wheat shortage.

“We will not support the federal government’s decision, which is against the farmers. The farmers are not provided with their rights. Instead of providing relief to farmers, Imran Khan’s government is supporting wheat mafias,” he remarked.

Mehmood Nawaz Shah, senior vice president of Sindh Abadgar Board, supported the Sindh government’s wheat rate, but called for an immediate opening of procurement centres in the province.

The provincial government said it had bought 1.2 million tons last year in addition to 117,000 tons of imported wheat from the federal government. The production in the province is expected at four million tons.

“In absence of procurement centres, traders are purchasing wheat at Rs 1,800 per 40-kg, which reached to Rs 2,400 per 40-kg before the start of the harvesting,” he said.