ACCORDING to media reports, the Sindh chief minister has approved the increase in wheat support price by Rs1.25 a kilogram to Rs31.25 a kilogram to discourage the movement of wheat to other provinces and prevent smuggling.

According to the notification, the support price has been increased from Rs1200 per 40 kilograms to Rs1250 per 40 kilograms. It merits a mention that the support price for wheat is announced every year before farmers begin sowing in November. But this year, the price has been announced at a time when the food department is making allout efforts to procure as much wheat as it has set target for.

The support price for wheat crop 2014 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has not been announced, though the input cost has increased manifold because of rise in prices of pesticides, electricity and fertilisers.

So, there is a need for an upward revision of support price of wheat for the 2014 crop. The KP government should fix the support price for the 2014 wheat crop to enable the farmers to maintain their interest in this staple food crop in the years to come.

Khan Faraz
Peshawar