Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) have announced to start wheat procurement drive from May 01, 2012 with start of gunny bag distribution from April 28, 2012. ‘Though Corporation was scheduled to launch its wheat procurement drive earlier than this but recent spell of rain and higher moisture content in wheat has forced it to delay its procurement drive for a few days,’ said a spokesman of the Corporation here on Monday. The Corporation would launch its procurement drive simultaneously in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan and all the arrangements to buy two million tons of wheat have also been finalized.
Sixty five per cent of the total required gunny bags for procurement of two million tons of wheat, have already been reached at the procurement centers set up in its designated areas by the Corporation and rest of the 35 per cent would reach the destination within next few days, the spokesman added. Farmers will be paid Rs 1050/- per 40 kilograms at the procurement centers besides Rs 7 per bag as delivery charges. Corporation will buy wheat in 15 tehsils of Punjab including Hafizabad, Pindi Bhattian, Gojra, Okara including Renala Khurd, Pakpattan, Mailsi, Burewala, Mian Channu, Lodhran, Kehror Pucca, Bahawalnagar, Minchanabad, Alipur including Jatoi, Khanpur and Layyah. PASSCO has set up 200 procurement centers in these areas of the Punjab province to facilitate the growers. It has set up 11 procurement centers in Sindh area of Sobo Dero, Kund Yaro and Sukrund while 9 procurement centers have been established in Naseerabad and Jafferabad tehsils of Balochistan.