Govt sets wheat support price at Rs 1800
Aftab Ahmed
The federal government on Friday decided to increase the wheat price to Rs 1800 per 40 kg.
Earlier, the government had set the wheat support price at Rs 1650 per 40. Food Minister Syed Fakhar Imam had called for fixing the price at Rs 1800 per 40 kg but the ministers from urban areas had opposed it saying that it would result in hiking inflation in cities.
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A decision was taken in a high-level meeting under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister on how to meet the wheat target. While addressing a press conference, Federal Minister for Food Security and Research Syed Fakhr Imam announced that the wheat price would be Rs 1800 per 40 kg.
Last year, 25.2 million tons of wheat was produced and 3.6 million tons of wheat was imported, Fakhram said adding that this time the production will be 26.2 million tons.
Punjab has a wheat production of about 20 million tons. He said that the government had revised the minimum support price for wheat at Rs 1800 per 40 kg.
Abdul Aleem Khan thanked the Prime Minister for making a historic decision. He said that wheat prices never increased by Rs 400 in one year.
Farmers are the backbone, it is a big step of the Prime Minister for its prosperity, Abdul Aleem Khan said adding that despite the price of 1800 wheat, we will not allow the price of flour to go up.
He said that the government would give as much subsidy on flour for the common man. We will continue to provide subsidized wheat to flour mills so that the common man benefits, Aleem Khan added.
He said that the government was trying to provide flour at cheaper prices in more Ramadan bazaars. “I want to send a message to the whole nation that the Prime Minister is aware of the plight of one person, and he is also worried, Abdul Aleem Khan said.
The Prime Minister said that the price of wheat should be increased but the price of flour should not be increased. We gave 80 billion subsidies for cheap flour, Khan said adding that the government of Sindh will have to buy from the people the price of Rs 2000. The Sindh government should also give subsidies when it buys wheat for Rs 2,000, Abdul Aleem Khan said.
