By Muhammad Luqman

Fresh wheat has started arriving in markets across Punjab as harvesting gathers pace, while the Food Department has begun registering farmers for bardana (gunny bags) to facilitate procurement.

Punjab is expected to produce more than 22.5 million metric tons of wheat this year despite weather disturbances, including rains and hailstorms.

To stabilize prices around the support level of Rs3,500 per 40kg, the provincial government has launched its wheat procurement drive.

“We have fundamentally reformed the wheat procurement framework by introducing a fully digital and streamlined system,” Director General Food Department Punjab Amjad Hafeez told Wealth Pakistan.

He said the new system aims to eliminate delays, reduce discretion, and remove procedural bottlenecks that existed in previous procurement cycles. A Rs6 billion bardana subsidy has been approved and is being disbursed through a transparent digital mechanism.

Farmers are required to register through the Bardana App developed by the Punjab Information Technology Board.

Officials said 233 procurement centers have been made operational across Punjab to purchase wheat from farmers at the support price of Rs3,500 per 40kg.

According to the policy, small farmers are prioritized through an eligibility cap of 12 acres per farmer, along with a procurement benchmark of 25 maunds per acre.

“Small farmers constitute over 90 per cent of Punjab’s farming community, and the framework ensures inclusive access and equitable participation,” Hafeez said.

He added that the policy minimizes the role of middlemen, with payments made directly into farmers’ bank accounts through digital channels to ensure transparency.

The government also plans to procure up to 3 million metric tons through aggregators, which is expected to help establish a benchmark price for the market, including flour mills and private buyers.

Responding to a query, Hafeez said the policy does not restrict market-based purchases.

“Poultry and feed units are allowed to procure wheat from the open market, subject to prevailing market conditions,” he said.

However, market stakeholders say the arrival of the new crop has yet to ease prices in the open market.

“The price of wheat per 40kg depends on quality. Rain-affected wheat (barshi gandum) is available at Rs3,300, while good-quality grain is being sold at Rs3,500 or higher,” said Iftikhar Ahmad Matto, former chairman of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), Punjab.

He said wheat prices are likely to remain at Rs3,500 or above during the harvesting season and may increase further in the coming months.

Atta chakki owners expressed similar concerns.

“Wheat from South Punjab, particularly Bahawalnagar, is reaching Lahore at around Rs3,600 per 40kg, excluding transport charges,” said Liaquat Ali Malik, Chairman Atta Chakki Owners Association.

He said prices are expected to remain firm throughout the year.

Meanwhile, farmers have raised concerns over the slow pace of government procurement.

“Not a single grain of wheat has so far been procured by the Food Department,” claimed Khalid Mahmood Khokhar, Chairman Pakistan Kissan Ittehad.

He warned that the procurement target set by the government is too low compared to the expected crop and may not play a stabilizing role in the price mechanism.

Credit: INP-WealthPk