Farmers Demand Rs5,000 Per 40kg Wheat Support Price
LAHORE: Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Khokhar has called for a support price of Rs5,000 per 40kg of wheat, saying farmers need a clear policy before the start of the next sowing season.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Khokhar said wheat cultivation was about to begin, but the government had not yet announced its policy for the crop.
He said rising production costs were making it difficult for farmers to use fertilisers in the required quantities. According to him, DAP fertiliser consumption had declined from 2.39 million tonnes to around 1.25 million tonnes.
Khokhar said farmers should receive prices linked to international wheat rates, arguing that better returns could encourage growers to increase production.
Farmers Seek Better Returns
The Kissan Ittehad leader said farmers were not seeking subsidies but wanted reasonable prices for their agricultural produce.
He said increasing costs of inputs and weak returns were making farming less attractive, particularly for younger people considering agriculture as a profession.
Khokhar also highlighted developments in the sugarcane sector, saying cultivation had increased by 16 percent to 2.454 million acres. He added that sugar production was expected to increase by 25 to 30 percent.
He urged the government to maintain adequate sugar stocks for domestic consumption until November and allow surplus stocks to be exported.
According to Khokhar, delays in dealing with excess sugar supplies could put downward pressure on sugarcane prices and increase losses for growers, potentially affecting decisions about future crops.
Call for Clear Agricultural Policy
Khokhar said that if the government intended to deregulate the agricultural sector, the policy should be applied consistently rather than selectively.
He also stressed the importance of maintaining food security while making decisions about agricultural markets.
Another farmers’ representative, Mahmoodul Hassan Bukhari, criticised the delay in announcing decisions despite the availability of crop and stock data.
He said previous delays in exporting surplus sugar had increased pressure on farmers and warned that growers could reconsider wheat cultivation if the government failed to announce a policy in time.
