KARACHI (HRNW)- Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a high-level meeting at the CM House today to review the wheat procurement process for the Rabi 2025-26 crop. Expressing concern over the current pace, the Chief Minister directed the Food Department to immediately accelerate procurement efforts to meet the provincial target.
Procurement Targets and Current Progress
During the briefing, it was revealed that against a procurement target of 973,900 metric tons, only 1,061.600 metric tons have been purchased across the province so far. While the provincial cabinet had initially set a broader target of 1 million metric tons with a support price of Rs. 3,500 per 40 kg, the current slow trend has prompted the CM to demand higher efficiency from district administrations.
Key highlights from the meeting include:
-
Support for Small Farmers: Procurement is currently prioritized for farmers who received subsidized DAP and urea fertilizers under the Sindh Wheat Growers Support Program.
-
District Performance: Jamshoro showed relatively better performance with 450 metric tons procured against its target. Other districts reporting activity include Umerkot, Badin, Sanghar, Mirpurkhas, Thatta, and Hyderabad.
-
Market Monitoring: The meeting noted that open market prices are hovering around Rs. 3,400 in Karachi and Rs. 3,340 in Hyderabad and Sukkur. The CM directed officials to discourage hoarding and illegal transportation to stabilize the market.
Directives for Transparency and Accountability
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah emphasized that the procurement target is vital not only for supporting farmers but also for ensuring provincial food security. He warned that negligence at the district level would not be tolerated and instructed the Food Department to ensure timely payments to farmers, including those providing their own packing material (bardana).
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon, Jam Khan Shoro, Mukesh Kumar Chawla, Food Minister Makhdoom Mahboob-uz-Zaman, and other senior officials including the Chief Secretary of Sindh.
Become a part of our mission to promote human rights and public awareness. Your support enables us to be a voice for the oppressed. Please contribute your donations through this link: https://www.hrnww.com/?page_id=1083
