ISLAMABAD (January 24 2004): An inter-provincial meeting on Friday finalised wheat procurement policy and set buying target of 5.5 million tonnes wheat for the current year for Passco and provincial food departments, against 5.3 million tonnes of last year.

Major share of procurement, of 3.0 million tonnes wheat, will go to Punjab Food Department, and it would be followed by Passco, which has been given a target of 1.4 million tonnes buying from growers.

Sindh Food Department and NWFP Food Department will buy 0.5 million tonnes each and Balochistan will procure 0.1 million tonnes wheat this year.

The meeting was chaired by Federal Food and Agriculture Minister Yar Mohammed Rind and attended by provincial ministers for food or their secretaries.

The meeting decided to have review of the target next month to ensure that all arrangements are in place to buy the commodity from the growers at quick pace. It also reviewed the role of private sector in commodity buying and hoped that the private sector would again remain active this year in buying the commodity.

The meeting viewed the role of the private sector as a healthy sign, which could ensure better prices to the growers of their produce.

The representatives of provinces told the meeting that prospects of wheat crop were much better which was an indication of meeting the target of 20 million tonnes for the current year.

Later, during his visit to Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Rind told a group of reporters that the government was taking all possible steps to ensure adequate supply of wheat to the provinces.

He ruled out any crisis related to wheat due to short supply in the coming days.

He told a questioner that Punjab has agreed to supply 0.1 million tonnes wheat to Sindh so that the provincial food department could ensure release of commodity to millers.

The minister expressed the hope that Punjab would dispatch the first instalment of 50,000 tonnes for Sindh in the next 24 hours, which would be followed by another dispatch of the same quantity.

Rind said in response to a question that federal government would ensure better price to the growers for their produce, and an effective strategy in this connection was being worked out in consultations with provincial governments.

Courtesy Business Recorder