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Government to procure 4
million tonnes of wheat this year
 ISLAMABAD - The government has
decided to procure four million tonnes of wheat from farmers
this year Advisor to the Chief Executive on Agriculture Shafi
Niaz said on Friday.
Speaking in a PTV programme, he said it is hoped that despite
water shortage and drought like conditions, the production of
wheat will remain 19.15 million tonnes this year.
He said the provinces want to substantially increase
procurement of wheat and the matter wilt be discussed in the
next meeting. But due to lack of storage facility and limited
resources it is not possible for government to increase the
amount of wheat procurement at present, he added.
He said the country has four million tonnes of procurement
capacity, which was enough two years back. Last year, the
government procured eight million tonnes of wheat, which was
covered under the tarpaulin, which is not a safer way to
protect wheat.
The advisor said the government has decided to encourage
private sector including flourmills to procure wheat.
Loans will also he granted to private sector for wheat
procurement on low mark-up rate, he added.
Shafi Niaz said President General Pervez Musharraf has given
clear instructions for safeguarding the interests of farmers.
The government has announced a wheat support price of Rs 300
per 40 kg this year.
He said last year, the country exported About one million
tonnes of wheat end this year too it has been decided to
export the same amount of wheat.
To a question, he said World Food Programme (WFP) will
purchase about 65,000 tonnes of wheat from Pakistan for the
people of Afghanistan.-APP
courtesy Daily
Business Recorder
, 13
April, 2002
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Pakissan.com;
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