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Row over wheat policy
TOBA TEK SINGH, April
28: A dispute between the Pakistan Agricultural
Supplies and Services Corporation (Passco) and the
district food department over procurement of wheat
has been brought to the notice of the district
government.
An official stated here on Tuesday that the
district coordination officer had sent a letter to
the district police officer apprising the latter
of a complaint lodged by the district food
controller about Passco's illegally procurement of
wheat in Kamalia and Toba Tek Singh tehsils, as
the provincial government had earmarked only Gojra
tehsil for wheat purchase by Passco.
The DCO added that food department officials had
conducted raids and confiscated wheat procured by
Passco in Pirmahal. The local police was asked to
help prevent illegal wheat purchase by Passco in
Pirmahal, but they did not.
The DCO urged the DPO to direct all police
officials to stop both Passco and the food
department from purchasing wheat in areas not
earmarked for them. The district food controller
claimed that the food department had purchased
93,900 bags by Tuesday, through six centres in
Kamalia and Toba Tek Singh tehsils.
He added that provincial government had set the
target at one million bags of 100kg each, as
against 690,000 bags last year. He stated that
there were many unlicensed traders purchasing
wheat and food department officials had raided and
recovered hundreds of unlawfully purchased bags,
while police had been asked to register cases
against 12 people in this connection.
When this correspondent visited some food
department procurement centres, hardly a few
farmers were around. They informed this reporter
that private buyers were offering higher prices.
They said they had brought wheat to the centres
only because it was substandard.
A source said there were 11 flour mills in the
district all of which were purchasing and stocking
wheat. Rich farmers were also not selling wheat
and were waiting for a price hike.
The DAWN
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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