ISLAMABAD: More than 500 wheat procurement centres have been established in the province, where Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) and Punjab Food Department (PFD) will start purchasing wheat from May 1.
Passco General Manager Commercial Col (r) Tanveer Hussain said that all logistics and commercial arrangements have been finalised to kick off the wheat procurement campaign for the current season and so far 12 percent of sack distribution has been completed. He said that wheat procurement has been started in Sindh and Balochistan provinces whereas distribution of sacks for growers in Punjab has already been initiated from April 25.
From May 1, he said, that the wheat would start arriving in centres of Passco and others by established by the Punjab government which would help growers to sell their produces at official fixed rates.
Passco has arrange about 8 million bags for the packing of over 800,000 tons of grains and it has set a target to distribute 70 percent of sacks in first 15 days of procurement campaign, he added.
According to the procurement policy, the corporation would provide 8 bags per acre for small farmers to procure 20 maund per acres on first come and first serve basis, he added.
Tanveer further said that the Passco will fulfil the 100 percent bags requirements of small farmers from saving them the exploitation of middle man and safeguarding the interest of farmers in the country. Up to 25 acres, he said that the farmers would be provided 200 bags in first stage to sell their produces on official fixed rate of Rs. 1300 per 40 kg.
