By Our Web Desk
ISLAMABAD–Wheat procurement campaign across the grain producing areas in the country is in full swing as procurement targets for the season achieved by 46 percent.
So far, over 2.861 million tons of wheat has been procured in order to fulfill the domestic requirements as well as for keeping the strategic reserves to tackle with the future consumption, said Food Security Commissioner Dr Imtiaz Ali Gopang.
He said that the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet in its meeting had approved the wheat procurement targets of 6.3 million tons during procurement drive for the crop season 2021.
By the end of last week, Punjab has achieved 53.94 percent of its assigned targets as it procured 1,888,016 (over 1.888 million tons) as against the st targets of 3.500 million tons during current season.
Meanwhile, Sindh, which is the second largest grain producing province has completed its procurement campaign by 38.66 percent and procured about 541,242 metric tons as against the set targets of 1.400 million tons, he added.
Federal Food Security Commissionar further informed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces were tasked to procure 100,000 tons respectively as till date Balochistan has procured about 19,698 metric tons of grains, adding that procurement details from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was yet not received.
Dr Imtiaz said that Balochistan had 19.69 percent of its procurement targets as procurement centres had established in different areas to facilitate the farmers in the province.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Service Corporation (PASSCO) has procured 398,263 metric tons of wheat as it achieved about 33.11 percent of its set targets for current season, he added.
The PASSCO had also established over 239 procurement centres across the country in order to initiate grain procurement drive for crop season 2021.
These centres were established to facilitate the farmers in order to sell their produce on official fixed rates and safe them from the exploitation of middle men, he added.
In this regard, PASSCO has already made all the necessary arrangements like requirements of logistics including supply of bardana (jute bags), gunji kits, fumigants or pesticides and , polyethylene, he added.
Meanwhile, he said that 227 bank branches of scheduled banks have been earmarked for disbursement of tendered wheat and in case of any complaint, project managers, zonal heads are available to solve the problem.
But if matter remains un-resolved, the growers will have access to the General Manager (Field) and even MD PASSCO for redress of their grievances, he concluded.
