Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) Secretary General Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari has proposed fixing the wheat support price at Rs 4,500 per maund, urging the federal government to prioritize agriculture and protect farmers from losses.
In a statement on Wednesday, Bukhari termed the federal minister for food security’s remarks about importing wheat worth $1.5 billion “alarming,” warning that such imports would impose a heavy burden on the national exchequer. He stressed that the government must adopt practical planning and strategies to avert food shortages and crises.
Bukhari said agriculture is the backbone of the national economy, and strengthening it is vital for progress and prosperity. He called on the government to allocate more budgetary resources toward agriculture so that both industrialists and workers benefit.
He recalled that former President Asif Ali Zardari had earlier raised the wheat support price when bumper crops were recorded. However, devastating floods have since severely damaged the agriculture sector, making its recovery a top priority.
The PPP leader demanded that the federal government announce the support price for wheat before sowing begins. He noted that last year, farmers suffered huge losses as they did not receive the official support price, leading to a 6 percent decline in wheat cultivation. Farmers were forced to protest across the country due to the non-implementation of the announced price.
Bukhari urged the government to take concrete steps to boost wheat production by providing subsidies on diesel, petrol, fertilizer, seeds, and pesticides. He emphasized that in flood-hit areas, where millions of acres of farmland have been destroyed, farmers should be given free seeds and fertilizer to re-cultivate the surviving land. He added that much of the wheat stock held by flood-affected citizens was also destroyed.
Calling for a comprehensive agriculture policy, Bukhari pressed the federal government to consult parliamentary political parties, landlords, and farmers to ensure food security and sustainable growth.
