Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) Central President, Sardar Zafar Hussain Khan reacting to provincial budgets announced by the Punjab and Sindh alleged that the provincial governments have totally neglected the farmers' community. He said that the Punjab government provided subsidy on electricity tariff for agricultural tube wells in the past which provided a much required relief to the growers but withdrawal of subsidy in new budget would multiply the hardships of the farmers.

To ensure sufficient availability of wheat stock and meet requirement of the commodity, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf-led government has allocated for Rs 2.5 billion for subsidy and procurement of wheat in the province. For next year 2013-14, KP government has planned to procure 400,000 tons of wheat to store, against the 300,000 tons procured in current year 2012-13, to meet fulfil exact requirements of this commodity and food grain in the province, according to official sources said.

Vegetables and fruits prices have started climbing as retailers feared that onion and tomato may become dearer in coming days. They said that consumption of onion, green chili, tomato, potato and fruits increased and alleged that the people had started hoarding of onion to make money.