Decision to Fix Wheat Support Price at Rs4,500 per 40kg Welcomed, Says Iftikhar Ali Malik

LAHORE (Report Digital): Former President of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Iftikhar Ali Malik, has welcomed the Prime Minister’s decision to fix the wheat support price at Rs4,500 per 40 kilograms for the upcoming crop season, saying the move will provide significant relief to farmers facing rising production costs, high fuel prices and persistent inflationary pressures.

In a statement issued here, Malik said the increase in the wheat support price was a positive step towards protecting the farming community and strengthening the country’s agricultural economy.

He observed that farmers were facing severe financial difficulties due to the continuous rise in the prices of essential agricultural inputs, including fertilisers, seeds, diesel and electricity. These increases had substantially raised the cost of cultivating crops.

Iftikhar Ali Malik called for further reductions in the prices of fertilisers, quality seeds and electricity, urging the government to provide electricity at affordable rates, particularly for agricultural purposes, to ensure the sustainable development of the agriculture sector.

He said affordable agricultural inputs were essential to increasing crop yields, ensuring food security and improving farmers’ incomes.

He further stressed the need for a comprehensive, sustainable and consistent agricultural support policy, backed by timely implementation. Such a policy, he said, would encourage farmers to increase wheat production, reduce dependence on imports and contribute to national economic stability.