Ban on wheat movement: provincial agriculture department pays no heed to directives

Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture (Minfa) sent numerous letters to Sindh Food Department for lifting inter-provincial ban on wheat movement but the provincial agriculture department has paid no heed to the directives of the centre, official at Minfa told Business Recorder.
The Sindh Food Department banned inter-provincial wheat movement a couple of months back before the arrival of a new crop on the plea that free movement of the commodity would create serious problems for the local farmers, officials added. The Sindh Food Department time and again has assured the federal government that it has lifted the ban on movement of wheat, but in practice all vehicles loaded with wheat are forced to pay Bhattha (extortion) before entering Sindh, official added.
Officials said that under the prevailing circumstances only President Zardari could force Sindh government to follow the constitution, as the provincial food department is paying no attention to the directives of the centre. Sources in the Ministry said that the Punjab Food Department has nearly 4 million tons of wheat stock. The federal government allowed export of 3 million tons of wheat while Punjab government was desirous of exporting 2.5 million tons of its surplus wheat but it is facing severe problems as the authorities in Sindh are not allowing wheat loaded trucks to enter the province without paying Rs 15,000 to 20,000 Bhattha.
According to available data, wheat harvesting in the Punjab is in final stages, but public sector organisations are very slow in picking up wheat from the fields. It is expected that in Punjab wheat production would be around 19 million tons while overall wheat production in Pakistan is estimated at 25 million tons. So far Passco and provincial food departments have purchased 2.3 million tons of wheat, out of which Punjab food department has purchased 1.025 million tons, Sindh 1.011 million tons and Passco 0.2 million tons.
Sources said that the government has provided all the required finances to the concerned departments but wheat procurement is quite slow. Farmers across the country have complained that the public sector wheat procurement departments had left them at the mercy of middlemen, who have taken full advantage of the situation and purchased wheat from poor farmers at Rs 800-850 per 40 kg, which is far below wheat support price of Rs 950 per 40 kg, reveals Minfa complaint cell.
The farmers have also complained that the public sector wheat procurement drive is not transparent as the officials of Passco and provincial food departments are giving benefit to the influential landlords and big farmers, it added. Small farmers have complained that the officials of the provincial food departments are not providing free of cost wheat bags. As per government's decision provincial food departments are bound to provide small farmers with land holdings of up to 12.5 acres, 200 free of cost wheat bags and farmers having up to 25 acres or more should get 500 wheat bags. Big farmers in collusion with provincial food departments are easily getting bardana, while small farmers are deprived of the facility. Minfa officials requested the authorities concerned to immediately make arrangements for export of 3 million tons wheat stock, otherwise there would be no space for storage of new crops.