ECC Approves Support Prices For Wheat, Paddy

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee of Cabinet (ECC) on Tuesday approved the support price of Rs950 per 40 kg of wheat, in addition to approving the price of rice crop for the year 2009-10.

The CEC met here under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Petroleum and Privatization, Syed Naveed Qamar also approved the wheat procurement target of 7.5 million tonnes for the benefit of farmers.

Later, the journalists of information, Minister of Food and Agriculture Nazar Muhammad Gondal said the ECC also reviewed the issues related to the mechanism for recruitment of the rice crop PASSCO 2009-10 and led immediately to create rice shopping in the key areas of rice in consultation with the concerned provincial authorities.

The government said this year also set the support price of wheat at Rs950 per 40 kg so that the common man is not affected due to rising commodity prices in the local market.

Nazar Muhammad Gondal said that last year the recruitment target was set at 6.5 million tonnes, while the government has bought about 10 million tonnes.

“This year the government has decided to purchase 7.5 million tonnes of wheat from farmers at the announced price of Rs950 per 40 kg to the benefits and incentives to producers,” he said.

Nazar Muhammad Gondal said that this year the CEC has approved 40 kg of RS600 for IRRI-6, Rs1250 per 40 kg of Basmati, whereas Basmati-386 to Rs1000 per 40 kg.

He said he would be the responsibility of provincial governments to implement the announced prices for producers and the role of intermediaries must be eliminated.

In response to a question, the Minister said there were still banning the export of wheat, but the government has only allowed the export of wheat by products of 200,000 tons this year.

Tags: ECC, Paddy, Support Prices, Wheat