Punjab has achieved 85 pct of wheat procurement target: food minister

LAHORE: Punjab has attained 85 percent of its wheat procurement target and distributed 100 percent bags among the farmers, quoting senior provincial minister ARY News reported on Saturday.

Punjab’s senior minister for food Abdul Aleem Khan has stated that the wheat procurement centres will remain open during the lockdown. “Wheat procurement centres will remain closed only on the first and second day of Eid ul Fitr,” the minister said.

He lauded arrangements made by the food department and the administration for wheat procurement.

“With the speed the wheat being purchased we will attain the 100 pct target of procurement soon,” Khan said.

The farmers being given 1800 rupees per maund on the instructions of the prime minister, the food minister said.

The food department has been issued directives for keeping procured wheat safe, he further said.

The reports about wheat procurement being received from the province on daily basis, senior food minister said.

The farmers complaints about wheat procurement are being addressed on the spot, he said.

Punjab has fixed the wheat procurement target of 3.5 million tons for this year, Aleem Khan said.

“The food department is also vigilant about hoarding and smuggling of wheat,” he added.