Fixes the support price of wheat at Rs 3,500 per 40 kg; small producers will benefit from a fertilizer subsidy
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah addresses a press conference on Wednesday. Photo: NNI
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced a major relief package of Rs 55 billion for farmers, fixing the support price of wheat at Rs 3,500 per 40 kg and offering subsidized fertilizers to small growers to ease the burden of rising cultivation costs.
Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, he said the provincial government plans to purchase between 0.8 and 1.2 million tonnes of wheat in the 2025-2026 harvest season. Under the new scheme, small farmers will get one bag of DAP and two bags of urea per acre at subsidized rates.
The CM said the initiative aims to ensure timely supply of fertilizers, promote transparent procurement of wheat and ensure prompt payments to producers to support their interest in the crop and enhance food security.
Shah said the government was committed to ensuring fair compensation to farmers, stressing that the support price protects them from abusive middlemen and market fluctuations.
Learn more: Farmers to get Rs 3,500 per maund as govt approves wheat policy 2025-2026
He added that although the province initially recommended Rs 4,000 per 40 kg, the Sindh government accepted the rate of Rs 3,500 approved by the federal government to provide immediate relief to the producers.
He praised the efforts of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for helping the province secure federal approval despite IMF constraints, calling them “a success that underlines the power of coordinated negotiations within budgetary constraints.”
The chief minister further announced that the proposal to triple agricultural income tax has been postponed, with the previous rate of 15 per cent being restored. He said the move was based on “the real financial pressure” facing small farmers.
Highlighting last year’s achievements, Shah said the 2023-24 wheat procurement campaign helped stabilize the market, prevent flour shortages and reduce costly imports.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to balanced agricultural development and economic stability, noting that the Ministries of Food and Agriculture were working closely to achieve these goals.
Law and order, Afghan repatriation policy
Responding to a question on security, Shah said the government was focusing on maintaining law and order in urban and rural areas, tackling two key challenges: dacoit activity inside and street crime in cities.
He said police modernization, better training and coordination were underway to enhance the capacity of the force.
On the federal government’s decision on the repatriation of Afghans, the CM said there was now a “national consensus” that all Afghan refugees should return home. The Sindh government, he assured, would fully implement the federal policy to ensure an orderly and legal process.
Shah also asked the Sindh chief secretary to coordinate with his Punjab counterpart on the inter-provincial movement of certified seeds and asked health and municipal authorities to intensify anti-dengue fumigation drives across the province.
