HISTORIC PROCUREMENT OF WHEAT, RESERVES 4.3 MMT, RECORD OF LAST 10 YEARS MET

FURTHER PURCHASE HALTED, FLOUR MILLS & SEED COMPANIES TO BUY WHEAT: A.A KHAN

A high level meeting of the Food Department chaired by Senior Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan was informed that the record of procurement of wheat in Punjab at the official level has been set new for the last 10 years. The procurement limit of wheat has been exceeded after which the province has a total stock of 4.3 million metric tons of wheat which will be abundant to meet the needs of the province. Expressing satisfaction over this important achievement, Punjab Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan directed the Food Department officials to immediately provide assistance to flour mills and seed companies in procurement of wheat so that wheat in this sector could also be made sufficient. Similarly, an integrated strategy should be formulated for the supply of wheat to the province of KP in which the Food Departments and the Chief Secretaries of both the provinces should be taken on board so that there is no confusion. Senior Minister Abdul Aleem Khan also directed the Food Secretary to hold a meeting with the Punjab Flour Mills Association tomorrow after which the district administration in consultation with the Food Department and Flour Mills would determine the price of flour in each division. He said that all borders of Punjab should be sealed and ensured to curb smuggling from province which could bring down the price of wheat also. Abdul Aleem Khan termed the performance of Food Department, district administration and concerned agencies in the procurement of wheat as satisfactory and directed the Secretary Food to send a summary to the Chief Minister Punjab to stop further procurement of wheat. It is a good thing that 90 per cent target of procurement of wheat by Punjab Seed Corporation has been achieved, Abdul Aleem Khan added. He further said that this year has been a historic achievement in procurement of wheat and it is expected that the department will continue to show the same sense of duty in future. He also directed to prepare recommendations for a new policy for approval of Prime Minister Imran Khan under which wheat procurement would be changed next year and wheat would be kept only for Government reserves.

Briefing the high level meeting, Secretary Food and Director Food informed Senior & Food Minister Punjab Abdul Aleem Khan that new instructions are being issued to all officers of Food Department immediately and now flour mills and seed companies in every district will be given support in the procurement of wheat. It was decided in the meeting that the future course of action would be decided in consultation with the Chief Secretary Punjab tomorrow and especially the issues regarding the supply of wheat to the province KP would be finalized.