LAHORE: The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) boycotted the Punjab Assembly session on Friday in support of farmers, who are facing issues with wheat procurement. The Assembly continued to discuss the matter for the second consecutive day, with members submitting proposals for consideration in the upcoming financial year.

Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmed Khan chaired the session, which focused on the crucial matter of wheat procurement and pricing.

He pointed out that the fixed price of wheat is Rs3900 per maund, while it is being sold at Rs3200 per maund, resulting in billions of rupees being held by middlemen.

He also emphasized that sugarcane farmers should be subject to the same regulations, as they are also incurring losses.

Agriculture Minister Ashiq Kirmani announced that he will refer the matter to the Commission for further investigation. During the session, he reported that cotton production has remained steady, with a positive response observed in the Bahawalpur Division. The Ministry is also working on drafting legislation related to medicines and fertilizers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024