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Army directed to check wheat stock in Sindh

AMER SIAL

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has directed army to monitor the wheat stock of Sindh Food Department, highly placed sources told Business Recorder on Friday.

According to sources, the recent demand by the provincial government, to be provided with 0.3 million tonnes of wheat on urgent basis, has produced an impression of wrongdoings in the wheat stock of provincial food department.

The federal government fulfilled half of the demand (0.15 million tonnes) terming it adequate to meet the domestic requirements before the start of wheat harvest in the province by mid-March.

However, sources said, that the provincial food department, consistent demand for more wheat led the government to investigate the stock position. Sources said that the province would be provided with more wheat only after the army completes the cleaning of their stables.

Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Shafqat Ali Shah Jamote addressing a press conference here said the federal government would meet all reasonable demands of wheat by the provincial governments.

Jamote said the country has sufficient wheat stock of 2.5 million tonnes to meet its requirements before the start of wheat harvest season.

He said that the wheat stock of Punjab is satisfactory with 1.5 million tonnes and the province is ready to provide its surplus 0.3 million tonnes of wheat to the deficient provinces.

He gave the stock position of Sindh at 0.83 million tonnes, excluding 0.15 million tonnes given from the imported Australian wheat. He gave the stocks of NWFP at 0.16 million tonnes and for Balochistan at 0.05 million tonnes.

Jamote said the period after the sowing of wheat in October-December to wheat harvest is a lean period and special efforts have been made to overcome any deficiency of wheat in this period.

The minister said that the coming bumper yield of 20 million tonnes would be enough to meet our requirements. He said that the demands of Afghanistan could be met if they adopt the official channel.