The wheat crisis has worsened in Punjab as farmers in the province are forced to sell wheat at Rs2,800 per 40kg against the officially fixed price of Rs3,900 per 40kg.

Rana Shahbaz, an Opposition member in the Punjab Assembly, said that provincial minister Bilal Yasin could not satisfy the House on the issue of wheat, due to which the opposition boycotted the assembly session.

“We give a three-day deadline to the government. If the procurement of wheat does not start, the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) will protest,” he said.

Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmad Khan said that wheat was being sold at Rs3,200, adding that the farmer was not getting the officially fixed price of Rs3,900.

He added that billions of rupees of farmers were stuck with the middlemen, adding that mills were bound to make payments to farmers.

He also pointed out that sugarcane farmers were afraid of not getting the full price as wheat farmers.

Malik Ahmad Khan said that the issue of wheat prices had been raised by the entire House, adding that the government had been informed about it.

“The caretaker government imported wheat. The domestic market was destabilised by exporting the imported wheat,” he flayed.

“Now the government has 2.5 million tonnes of wheat stock, and it does not have further capacity to store more wheat. If the government buys more wheat, it will be a challenge,” he added.

“The government still has the stocks of exported and imported wheat. Now the local crop yield has also come. The government should take all necessary measures in its policy to save the farmer,” he emphasised.

Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah, MPA from the Treasury Benches, said that there was an unbalanced distribution of resources between the regions, due to which the problem of South Punjab arises.

“Wheat farmers are facing problems. We must trade with our neighbours, especially Afghanistan.