ISLAMABAD Country might not be achieving wheat production target of 25 million tons this year but still there is no risk of shortage of the commodity in the country as the carry forward stock of around 4.5 m tons is available collectively with the provincial and federal government. According to an official of Ministry of Food and Agriculture, wheat production this year is expected to remain lower than 24m tons due to certain factors. The major reasons are shortage of fertilisers and water scarcity. The official said that Sindh province is likely to achieve 3 million tons wheat production against the set target of 3.6m tons, Punjab might touch 18.2m tons against the target of 19.2m tons whereas Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan might achieve their targets. The official further said that despite of all this masses must not worry about the availability of the commodity in the markets as the Punjab Govt and Federal Government collectively has a stock of 4.5 m tons with them. The government even after exporting half of the stock would be in a position to maintain uninterrupted and convenient supply to the masses, he said. The government has made contracts of exports amounting to around 2.2 m tons and the exporters are encouraged to buy wheat for the export from the government. At the moment farmers are concerned about the coming situation that whether or not they would be able to sell their produce at the rate of Rs 950 per 40 kilogram announced by the government. President of Agri Forum Pakistan Ibrahim Mughal while talking to TheNation on the issue said that the government must pay the announced price to the farmers this year, as the cost of production was higher than previous years. He said that if the government would not procure actively and with justice, the farmers would suffer a lot and they would also be discouraged to sow wheat in the coming year.