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'Punjab has open border wheat
procurement policy'
LAHORE-The Punjab Food department to ensure maximum return of
produce to farmers has announced an open border wheat
procurement policy, with Rs 18.75 billion earmarked for
payment to growers. The procurement is to start on April 15.
Secretary Food Punjab, Shahid Khan in an interview to APP here
on Friday said that the open border policy will help boost the
wheat price. Any grower or agent can sell the produce to any
buyer, whether from Sindh, Balochistan, Azad Jammu Kashmir,
NWFP or FATA.
All restrictions on the movement of wheat have been lifted,
and the commodity can be taken to any part of the country
without hindrance.
He said farmers' interests will be safeguarded first, and all
efforts are being made to ensure that no injustice is done
them during the wheat procurement, he added.
A total of 252 procurement centres have been set up in the
province to purchase wheat from growers, at the rate of Rs 300
per 40 kilogram.
The Secretary said that 6-member monitoring committees
comprising representatives from the local government and Food
department have been formed at each centre.
These bodies deployed at procurement centres will protect the
interests of the farmers, oversee procurement and ensure the
quality of wheat procured.
Shahid Khan said 98 percent of the total jute bags required
for procurement have already been dispatched to the centres to
facilitate farmers in bringing their produce to the purchase
points.
He assured that growers will get cash payment promptly, either
the same day or the next, from any of the nearest authorised
bank branches.
District Co-ordination Officers throughout the province have
been directed to pay surprise visits to monitor the
performance of the centres in their districts, while District
Food Controllers have been directed to ensure that officials
maintain procurement record on a daily basis so these may be
checked.
The secretary said that the government is taking all necessary
measures to protect the interest of the farmers, and urged
that the growers must supply quality wheat to the centres,
which can keep well in stores and godowns over longer periods
of time.-APP
courtesy Daily
Business Recorder
, 13
April, 2002
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