Shehbaz hails production of 27.5m tonnes of wheat in country

Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has asked PASSCO and provincial food departments to directly purchase wheat from farmers to ensure benefit to them.

Presiding over a meeting to review the countrywide wheat procurement drive in Lahore, he said the procurement targets should be enhanced to ensure an uninterrupted supply of wheat throughout the year.

He attributed the 27.5 million metric tons record bumper wheat crop in the country to the government’s efforts, timely decisions, provision of quality seed, uninterrupted supply of fertilizer and Kissan Package.

The meeting was informed about the production of wheat in the current year, its available stock and procurement targets of the federal and provincial departments. Shehbaz congratulated the minister for food security and other relevant authorities and appreciated their steps. He said the government is formulating a strategy for achieving enhanced production next year.

Shehbaz Sharif said due to the mismanagement of the previous government, Pakistan became a wheat-importing country and farmers were compelled to wait in long queues for the whole day to get fertilizers. The prime minister also directed strict action against hoarders. He also directed for provision of required resources through banks to get a specified quantity of wheat.