The Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI), a prominent farmers’ organization, has firmly rebuffed the Punjab government’s recently unveiled Rs 15 billion ($17,609) wheat support package, branding it insufficient and poorly designed. Khalid Mahmood Khokhar, president of the PKI, articulated this sentiment during a press briefing in Multan. Khokhar emphasized the demand for a guaranteed support price, which he believes is essential to protect farmers from increasing financial setbacks. More detail on this stance can be found here.
“We don’t need charity; we need fair compensation,” Khokhar stated, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s relief measures and asserting that without immediate reforms, farmers might opt out of planting wheat for the next season. This comes after farmers had reportedly cultivated wheat at the behest of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz but now find their grievances ignored.
The package in question, which incorporates direct transfers through the Kisan Card, a four-month free storage option under the Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) system, and exemption from irrigation taxes, has been criticized for its inadequacy in addressing the realities faced by farmers. Khokhar described the subsidy as “a joke,” noting that distributing the amount among the 5.5 million farmers in Punjab would result in negligible relief. Additional perspectives on the inadequacies of the package can be found here.
Khokhar further advocated for a fair procurement price featuring a 25 percent profit margin above production costs, adopting expert recommendations. However, he argued that the current package predominantly favors intermediaries, flour mills, and warehouse proprietors over the farmers themselves. The EWR scheme drew particular ire, with concerns that it would serve large brokers and stockists while ordinary farmers, lacking the capital to store wheat, would continue to struggle. More analyses on the procurement price debate can be explored here.
Expressing concerns beyond economics, Khokhar highlighted the increasing mental health challenges faced by farmers, forecasting a rise in emotional distress due to governmental neglect. He urged intervention from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief General Asim Munir, underscoring the imminent threat to the nation’s food security, impacting roughly 250 million people. The PKI has scheduled a meeting in Lahore to potentially orchestrate a protest march unless the Punjab government adjusts its agricultural policy strategy. Insights into this unfolding narrative can also be pursued here.