Efforts Underway To Ensure Availability Of Wheat At Reasonable Prices: Minister

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st May, 2024) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food Zahir Shah Toru on Wednesday said that all out efforts were being made to ensure the availability of wheat for the people at the lowest and reasonable price.

He expressed these views while talking to the media during his visit to Dera Ismail Khan wherein he also visited a Food department’s godown of National Logistic Sell situated on Daraban road.

He said the timely and better planning of the provincial government for wheat procurement would benefit the government treasury as well as farmers.

“Our farmers are hard working and their rights will be safeguarded,” he assured and added that provision of all facilities to the farmers would be ensured.

The province produces 150,000 metric tons of wheat against its requirement of 5,000,000 metric tons, he mentioned. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to purchase 600,000 metric tons out of which around 300,000 metric tons would be purchased directly from local growers at a rate of wheat at 3,900 rupees per 40 kilograms.

The purchase of local wheat was being preferred rather imported or from Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation Limited (PASSCO), the minister said, and added it would save Rs 12 billion for the provincial government.

He said the purchased wheat would be stored in warehouses to ensure transparency during the whole process.

He emphasized the government’s commitment to transparency, highlighting ongoing efforts to digitize the administrative affairs of the food department to ensure accountability. Besides, he said, the cameras were also installed at wheat godowns to prevent malpractices.

Now, Zahir Shah said, the farmers themselves would bring their wheat to godowns and their commodity would be purchased.

The minister also inspected the newly established Food Street here on River Road.

During the inspection, the minister said the food street was established to ensure the supply of clean and quality food items to the people.