LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided not to purchase wheat next year, citing a significant surplus in its wheat stockpile. According to official sources within the Punjab government, the decision comes as the government currently possesses a substantial stock of wheat that can meet the province\u2019s requirements for up to one year. Sources reveal that the Punjab government currently holds a staggering 2.27 million tonnes of wheat in its reserves, indicating a surplus that provides assurance of food security for the foreseeable future. This surplus has enabled the government to make the decision to forgo wheat purchases for the upcoming year, thereby saving billions of rupees in procurement costs. Furthermore, sources within the Punjab government highlight that approximately 95% of Punjab\u2019s farmers have already sold their wheat to middlemen, easing the burden on the government to directly procure the grain. However, there have been concerns raised regarding the role of middlemen in the wheat supply chain, with sources emphasizing that these intermediaries often exploit farmers while masquerading as their representatives. DNA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided not to purchase wheat next year, citing a significant surplus in its wheat stockpile. According to official sources within the Punjab government, the decision comes as the government currently possesses a substantial stock of wheat that can meet the province\u2019s requirements for up to one year. Sources reveal that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":388113,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-406381","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n