0
LAHORE, Jan 5: The government will ensure that the wheat price does not fluctuate below the support, come what may, Federal Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan said here on Thursday. The minister was talking to journalists after attending a meeting at Passco office.
While trying to allay farmers’ fear that the continued duty-free import could trigger a price crash, he claimed the government would ensure price stability by procuring more wheat this year.
Though the private sector would be allowed to freely buy wheat but the government would be there to procure the produce till the last grain at the official price of Rs415 per 40kg, he pledged.
There was no denying that the country had substantial stock, but the wheat import continued to ensure strategic and operational reserves, he added.
Removal of duty on flour export to Afghanistan would help consume domestic stocks, which would ultimately benefit the growers, he claimed.
He said wheat price in the first week of January was less than the price of corresponding period of last year.
The minister took the occasion to urge farmers to maximize use of inputs for better yield. Fortunately, the country had good water supply this Rabi, and there was also heavier rain forecast, he said and hoped both these factors should help improve wheat yield.
Weedicide prices had also been reduced substantially this year, which should have a salutary effect on the wheat crop, Bosan said.
About prospect of wheat production, he said cotton picking was delayed this season because of good price that delayed wheat sowing in the Southern Punjab. The government noticed this phenomenon and changed wheat sowing priorities for this season, he said and added it had now been largely overcome and the sowing targets had been crossed.
Without mentioning any figure, the minister insisted that sowing target had been achieved and the country could expect a good crop this year.
FERTILIZER PRICE: The minister claimed the government had taken a serious notice of unilateral increase in fertilizer prices by the manufacturers.
He said Minfal had convened a meeting with the Ministry of Industries to take up the issue. As the government had not increased natural gas price for fertilizer manufacturers, it was unfair on their part to raise price on the pretext of increase in gas prices, he added.
Talking about fertilizer situation in the country, he said it was normal and satisfactory. The government was trying hard to improve the DAP supply and hopefully its efforts would soon bear results, he expected.
