Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has strongly objected to the federal government's decision to fix the wheat support price without consulting the provinces, calling the move unilateral and unfair, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, CM Murad Ali Shah said the support price for wheat should have been set at Rs4,000 per 40 kilograms.
He criticised the federal government for not taking the provinces into confidence before finalising the support price of wheat.
The chief minister further stated that under Article 151 of the Constitution, there can be no restriction on the interprovincial movement of wheat.
Murad Ali Shah said the Sindh government will initiate talks with Punjab over any ban on the purchase and sale of wheat across provincial borders.
He also revealed that Sindh currently holds 1.265 million tonnes of wheat and affirmed that the provincial government will manage procurement independently if necessary.
Highlighting the government’s focus on small farmers, Shah noted that Sindh has 411,808 such cultivators who need support to increase wheat production.
CM Murad Ali Shah announced that starting from November 1, small farmers will receive one sack of DAP and two sacks of urea fertiliser.
The chief minister added that under the Hari Card scheme, each farmer will be provided Rs14,000 per acre, which can only be used with registered fertiliser dealers to ensure transparency.
A survey will be conducted to verify whether the farmer has sown wheat, and in the second phase, an additional Rs8,000 per acre will be distributed.
He said the provincial government is allocating a total of Rs55 billion to support farmers in this initiative aimed at boosting agricultural output and ensuring food security.
Separately, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon, while addressing a meeting with traders in Karachi, warned that without subsidies, farmers will prioritise profit and grow only the most lucrative crops rather than those the country needs.
Sharjeel Memon further claimed that the federal government avoided increasing the wheat support price due to conditions set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).