LAHORE – Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) has announced to start wheat procurement from May 01 and distribution of gunny bags from April 28.
“Though Passco was scheduled to launch procurement drive earlier but recent spell of rain and higher moisture content in wheat has forced it to delay its drive for a few days,” said a spokesman of Corporation here on Monday.
The Corporation would launch its drive simultaneously in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan and all the arrangements to procure two million tons of wheat have also been finalised. Sixty five per cent of the total required gunny bags for procurement of two million tons of wheat have already been reached at the procurement centers set up in its designated areas and the remaining would reach the destination within next few days, the spokesman added.
Farmers will be paid Rs 1,050 per 40 kilograms at the procurement centers besides Rs 7 per bag as delivery charges. Passco will procure wheat in 15 tehsils of Punjab including Hafizabad, Pindi Bhattian, Gojra, Okara, Renala Khurd, Pakpattan, Mailsi, Burewala, Mian Channu, Lodhran, Kehror Pucca, Bahawalnagar, Minchanabad, Alipur, besides Jatoi, Khanpur and Layyah. Passco has set up 200 procurement centers in these areas of Punjab province to facilitate growers.
It has set up 11 procurement centers in Sindh area of Sobo Dero, Kund Yaro and Sukrund while 9 procurement centers have been established in Naseerabad and Jafferabad tehsils of Balochistan.
Passco administration is taking all out steps to facilitate growers for procurement of wheat and its timely payment and has devised a transparent, effective and farmer-friendly procurement policy, the spokesman claimed.
It will ensure provision of gunny bags to growers having 12 acres or less land during first 15 days of drive to accommodate small growers to maximum.
In case of any complaint growers can contact Corporation’s zonal heads including General Manager (fields) whose numbers are displayed outside every procurement center, the spokesman concluded.