Punjab launches Rs 15 billion relief for wheat farmers

The Punjab government created a Rs 15 billion support fund for wheat farmers due to their price decline during harvest. Farmers in Punjab decided to stage demonstrations due to market problems during their harvest time.

Key Components of the Support Package

Through the recently created Wheat Support Fund 550,000 wheat farmers will get their help delivered via Kisan Cards. Moreover the government initiated extra support steps to help farmers.

• Exemption from irrigation/fixed tax for the current year
• Free storage through the Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) facility for four months
• The program issues lending limits of 70 percent wheat value starting at delivery time within just 24 hours.
• Loan owners of flour mills and green license holders qualify for interest compensation up to 100 billion rupees.
• Removal of wheat and flour transportation restrictions at provincial and district borders

The Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has promised to shield farmers against monetary damage after the Mohsin Naqvi caretaker administration imported wheat last year which led the Punjab administration to stop buying from farmers.

Farmers’ Group Reject Package

Various farming groups actively reject this agriculture package despite government promises. Through his role at PKRC, Farooq Tariq says the government initiative helps only powerful landowners, not ordinary farmers who require a Rs4,000 per maund wheat price.

Farmers’ Itehad president Khalid Hussain Baath believed that the government program provides better benefits to large-scale producers than it does to small-scale farmers because many rural communities need more storage space to make EWR work.