The Punjab government has announced a reduction in the wheat support price to 3900 PKR, which has sparked considerable unrest among the farming community.
The new wheat rate represents a decrease from last year’s support price of 4000 PKR, exacerbating the financial challenges faced by farmers in the region.
Chaudhry Khalid Hussain Baath, Chairman of the Farmers Union, has criticized the decision, which was made under the leadership of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. Baath characterized the lowered price as a profound disservice to the agricultural sector, highlighting that the cost of production and agricultural inputs have significantly increased, making the new rate unsustainable for farmers’ livelihoods.
In contrast to Punjab’s reduced wheat support price, the Sindh government has set its rate at 4600 PKR per Maund, underscoring a disparity in treatment between farmers in different provinces.
The Chairman has accused the Punjab government, specifically Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, of reneging on commitments to the agricultural community by implementing policies perceived as hostile to farmers’ interests.
The Farmers Union is now calling for an upward revision of the wheat support price to 5000 PKR per Maund, urging the Punjab government to reconsider its stance and align the rate more closely with rising production costs.
