Govt invites provinces recommendations for wheat support price

ISLAMABAD: Federal government has invited recommendations from the provinces over the per maund support price of wheat, sources said on Tuesday.

It is to be seen if the government will offer a subsidy on the grain or transfer the burden of expensive wheat to the consumers.

According to sources, Punjab has recommended Rs. 4,200 support price of per maund wheat, while Sindh has suggested Rs. 5,000 per maund price for the grain.

“We purchase wheat from Punjab,” the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has replied.

“Imported wheat’s price reaches to Rs 5,000 per maund,” sources said. “Imported wheat was purchased at the price of US$ 345 per ton, while the per maund price of the grain reaches to 5,000 rupees along with other expenses,” according to sources.

Farmers while complaining that the grain imported at 5,000 rupees per maund while local wheat used to purchase at Rs 3,500 per maund.

Sources said that 25% gluten found in the local wheat while it remains 23% in the imported wheat.

Earlier, three provinces had demanded procurement of 7.5 Lac tons of wheat, while 2.15 Lac tons were imported. “One Lac ton of the imported wheat given to KP, while another 1.15 Lac tons of wheat provided to Sindh,” sources said.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had demanded for procurement of two lac tons, Sindh three lac and Punjab 2.5 lac tons of the imported wheat.

A tender will be reissued for procurement of two lac tons more wheat, which is expected to be imported on more expensive price, sources added.