Kisan Ittehad Rejects Punjab Government’s Wheat Support Package, Calls It Economic Deception

Lahore: The Kisan Ittehad has formally rejected the Punjab government’s wheat support package, accusing the government of deceiving farmers and further exploiting them economically. In a recent statement, the central chairman of Kisan Ittehad, Khalid Hussain Baath, voiced strong opposition to the government’s 15 billion rupee package, claiming it was a new avenue for corruption. He stated, *“Farmers are being given lollipops while their economic destruction is being ensured. The 15 billion rupee package is just a new form of corruption, intended to benefit bureaucrats rather than the farmers.”*

Baath also criticized the involvement of private companies in the government’s initiatives, stating that they were exploiting farmers. He highlighted the lack of a fixed wheat price as part of the government’s anti-farmer policies. He further expressed, *“Farmers in Punjab are fed up with the government’s policies. Wheat must be purchased from farmers at government rates. If our demands are not met, we will announce further actions soon.”*

The Kisan Ittehad chairman demanded that the government begin wheat procurement at the earliest through state-run warehouses, asserting that farmers’ exploitation was no longer tolerable. He concluded by calling for the immediate withdrawal of the package.

In response, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif approved a significant financial support package for wheat farmers, including a direct 15 billion rupees fund to benefit approximately 550,000 wheat cultivators under the Wheat Support Fund. The support will be provided through the issuance of a “Kisan Card” that will directly offer financial relief to farmers. Furthermore, Chief Minister Sharif announced a reduction in water taxes and fixed taxes for wheat growers and introduced a four-month free storage facility to protect the crops from seasonal impacts and market pressures.

Additionally, the government has decided to implement the Electronic Warehouse Receipt (EWR) system, where wheat farmers storing their produce will receive electronic receipts that can be used to secure loans of up to 70% of the total cost. As part of the new system, flour mills and green license holders will be required to store a minimum of 25% of their storage capacity in wheat, with loans facilitated by the Bank of Punjab.

Despite the government’s efforts to offer support, the Kisan Ittehad remains skeptical, viewing the package as insufficient and primarily beneficial to intermediaries rather than the farmers themselves.