Farmers have alleged that short supply of gunny bags, cumbersome procedure adopted by the provincial food department and reduction in procurement target, has left no option for them but to sell their wheat crop to the middlemen at throw away prices.
A group of journalists which visited Jamal Din Wali Procurement Centre of the Punjab Food Department in Rahim Yar Khan District, growers gathered there to obtain gunny bags and sell their produce complained that their wheat crops were ready to harvest, but lying under open sky owing to non-availability of the gunny bags.
Farmers pointed out that the provincial government had reduced wheat procurement target for the area to 80,000 metric tonnes from 120,000 metric tonnes of the previous year, while 20 more villages had been added to the procurement centre. How can we facilitate increased number of growers with curtailed procurement target and gunny bags issued in line with the fresh target,' an official posted at this Centre replied to the queries of media persons.
In charge of the procurement centre Aftab Butt confirmed the shortage of gunny bags. He said that earlier they were catering only Jamal Din Wali area but this year Village Bangla has also been added to their jurisdiction. The provincial food department has directed to issue initially 4600 bags per day but now it has come down to 2600 bags per day. But owing to increase of area space and growers, this quantity was insufficient to meet those gathered outside the procurement centre intending to sell their produce on government support price. He said 2600 bags could only be given to 13 farmers per day due to which rest of the farmers had to return dejected and making hue and cry against the department. According to his estimation, issuance of 6000 bags per day can smooth the work both for the officials and for the growers.
Growers including Muhammad Murad, Shah Dost and others pointed out that they were compelled to sell their produce in the open market of Rs 830 per maund due to non availability of gunny bags as harvested produce is lying in the fields under open skies, which might damage the crop. They said their produce is occupying the fields due to which they are not able to prepare the fields for the next crop also.
Meanwhile Kisan Board Pakistan (KBP) has also alleged that its members from all over the province are facing hardships in getting gunny bags. It complained that only influential persons were getting gunny bags in connivance with the officials of food and revenue department while the common man was returning disappointed after standing in the queues for hours.
KBP Wazirabad Tehsil President Chaudhry Allah Ditta Cheema alleged that over 12000 gunny bags were distributed to 40 people on first day at Wazirabad procurement centre. Similar occurrence were reported from Warpal Chattha and Alipur Chattha. Reports from South Punjab received by the Board said that growers staged demonstration at Chowk Sarwar Shaheed, Kot Addu, Bahwalpur and Jampur.
KBP President Sardar Zafar Hussein Khan urged the Chief Minister Punjab, Food Minister and Secretary Food to remove hardships being faced by the growers in procurement process and warned that otherwise growers would besiege procurement centres and stage sit-in.