Formers Demands Rs5,000 Wheat Support Price Amid Sowing Delays

News Desk
LAHORE: Pakistan Kissan Ittehad President Khalid Khokhar has demanded a Rs5,000 per 40kg support price for wheat, issuing a stark warning that growers may completely boycott the crop in the upcoming sowing season if the federal and provincial governments fail to announce a timely agricultural policy.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday, Khokhar highlighted that wheat sowing operations are on the verge of commencing, yet the authorities have maintained a concerning silence regarding official crop frameworks and pricing mechanisms.
He emphasized that prevailing economic conditions have left farmers struggling to afford balanced fertilizers, resulting in a sharp contraction of agricultural inputs across the board.
Elaborating on the crisis, the Kissan Ittehad chief revealed that Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) consumption has witnessed a staggering decline, plunging from 2.39 million tonnes down to 1.25 million tonnes. He argued that growers are currently unable to recover their basic production costs and asserted that assuring farmers the international market price for wheat would immediately incentivize record domestic production yields, mirroring positive trends observed during past years of fair pricing.
Providing further insights into the agricultural landscape, Khokhar noted a 16 percent expansion in sugarcane cultivation, taking total acreage to 2.454 million, with anticipated sugar production expected to rise by 25 to 30 percent.
He strongly urged the administration to secure adequate sugar reserves for domestic consumption through November while promptly exporting surplus stocks to shield growers from heavy financial distress.