Sindh Cabinet fixes 1.4 mln tons wheat procurement target

KARACHI: A meeting of the Sindh cabinet on Thursday fixed wheat procurement target of the province at 1.4 million tons, ARY News reported.

Provincial cabinet session chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also approved purchase of 80 percent PP bags and 20 pct jute bags.

Food Minister, Hari Ram Kishori Lal, informed the cabinet about availability of 0.8 mln tons of wheat in food department stocks. “Sufficient wheat stock is available with the food department till the new crop,” the minister said.

Provincial cabinet refuted allegations of the wheat hoarding against Sindh from the federal officials. “The wheat crisis in the country, was caused by missing six million tons from the wheat stocks of Punjab,” the Sindh cabinet session claimed.

“The Centre should avoid to hold Sindh responsible for unaccounted wheat stocks in Punjab,” the officials observed in the cabinet session.

The cabinet also prepared a committee to review the available wheat stocks in province.

The committee comprises of Food Minister Hari Ram Kishori Lal, Mukesh Chawla, Shabbir Bijarani and Ikramullah Dharejo will submit its detailed report on wheat stocks within two weeks.

The Sindh cabinet had in an earlier session fixed minimum procurement support price at Rs2,000 per 40 KG to encourage local growers to cultivate more wheat.