MANDI BAHAUDDIN-The wheat procurement in the district would start from May 5 while issuance of gunny bags would begin from May 1 at the centres set up by the Punjab government, disclosed a meeting.
“The target of purchasing wheat this year is 5,000 metric tonne. In order to achieve the target, 16 wheat purchasing centres have been established,” said the meeting held with Rawalpindi Commissioner Khalid Masud in the chair.
The commissioner directed the Food Department to issue gunny bags on merit. Deputy Director Food Muhammad Ajmal said that support price of wheat had been fixed at Rs1,250 per 50 kilogramme while delivery charges on per 100 kilogram would also be given to the farmers. The price of the wheat and delivery charges would be deposited to the account of the farmers. No cash payment would be made to save the rights of the farmers and to avoid frauds.
DCO Rashid Mehmud, Deputy Director Food Muhammad Ajmal, ADC (r) Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Assistant Food Controller Chaudhry Muhammad Khan, District Food Inspector Rana Zafar Iqbal, EDO Agriculture Iftikhar Ahmed Qureshi, ACs of Rawalpindi division as well as representatives of Bank of Punjab attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, another meeting was held at the DCO office to review arrangements for the wheat procurement. DCO Imtiaz Niazi fixed wheat procurement target of 530,000 bags weighing 50kg.
He said to achieve the target, six procurement centres had been set up at Mandi Bahauddin, Jano Chak, Malakwal, Gojra, Qadirabad and Bherowal, and fixed its support price at Rs1,200 per 50kg. He said that delivery charges are Rs7.50 per bag.
He said that gunny bags would be provided to the farmers on the first come first get basis and the last date for applications for the gunny bags is 21st. He directed Food Department officials would facilitate the growers at each procurement centres such as water, proper seating places for the visitors. He said it was their responsibility to facilitate the farmers.