Senior PML-Q leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi on Tuesday rejected the increase in wheat support price, saying the farmers will stop sowing wheat if the price is not fixed at Rs2,000. “Raising the wheat support price by just Rs200 is a joke with the growers. Farmers are facing hardships and if they do not get relief they will stop sowing the crop, which may worsen the wheat crisis in the country.”
He said in order to provide farmers some relief the prices of petrol, fertilizers and pesticides should be reduced. The PML-Q leader maintained that the wheat is being sold for Rs2,400 per 40kgs in the market and if the government wants to be self-sufficient in wheat then it should take care of the farmers as the PML-Q did during its government. Otherwise, the peasants will not opt for sowing wheat.” The wheat support price, announced by the Punjab government, was not enough to meet the expenditure the farmers spent on sowing the crop, he said and added
“With this price, what will a farmer sow, eat or save.” Pervaiz Elahi lashed out at the Punjab government’s decision to set the support price at Rs1,600, calling it a foolish act against farmers. He said farmers are facing intense economic suffering and if farmers will not be given any incentives then they will be forced to grow other crops.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Punjab Assembly Speaker demanded of the provincial government to raise the wheat support price to Rs2,000 per maund. It may be recalled, that in the wake of a shortage of flour in the market and shortage of stock, the federal government decided to import wheat shockingly at the price of Rs2,000 per 40 kg.
Elahi raised a genuine issue representing over 80 percent of the provincial population in rural areas whose only source of income is agriculture. Instead of providing relief to the country’s farmers, it was decided to import wheat at much higher prices.
It is to be noted that the Sugar Inquiry Commission identified those who were responsible for hoarding and selling wheat flour at much higher prices. Previously, it was sold at Rs35 per kg which is now being skyrocketed to Rs98 to 100 per kg.
