Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) President Chaudhry Nisar Ahmad said that standing and harvested crops spreading over a large number of areas have severely affected due to hailstorm and heavy rains. He said their office-bearers from the Central Punjab have also reported same losses which had increased the hardships of the growers. The KBP leader said that the government should immediately launch a survey to calculate the actual damages to compensate the growers.
Agri Forum Pakistan Chairman Muhammad Ibrahim Mughal said that torrential rains damaged crops across the country, especially in Southern Punjab. He said that rains and hailstorm not only damaged wheat crop but also the mango orchards. He said 50 percent of our country relies on agriculture and if farmers are not financially strong how could they teach their children and how can they meet both ends. He said that wheat crop was already facing issues because of rust disease. He said that the government should review the support price which had been fixed at Rs 1300 per maund.
The Agri Forum Pakistan chairman further said that the government should mend the systems of Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation (PASSCO) and food departments of distribution of gunny bags and procurement of wheat. He said that the Prime minister should improve the system of PASSCO and increase the number of gunny bags to be given to the growers in the coming wheat procurement drive.