Sir to explain in layman terms. There are 2 things.
1) By fixing the price for 5 years our wheat production remained stangnant we need to increase the base price to incentivize farmers and increase crop output because we consume more and more wheat each year.
Our farmers were moving away from agriculture and selling their land to real state. This was much needed to stop that as it concerns food security. Over a decade we became net importer from exporter.
We had the highest production of wheat last year and this year there will be record crop as well. Our driver brought over a 10kg bag of wheat as his crop was very good and he was happy during last season.
2) This increase in fixed procurement price was covered via subsidies. Most of the people on this forum are already buying wheat at non subsidised rates, at I think more than 2000Rs per 40kg so this does not affect us.
Governemnt does not procure all the wheat, this subsidy was limited to Governemnt stock. What happened is with the already established market rate the majority of subsidy amount was skimmed off by the dealers, Mills ( basically middle men) not to the average buyer.
Market rate is 1210 rupees per 20kg, 2420 Rs per 40kg (flour) in Punjab. In karachi its 2640Rs / 40kg.
The government was releasing its stock at 1475Rs ( wheat). No flour was sold at 1600Rs in market. This method of subsidy does not work. Infact this model does not work.
The lower income segment relies on utility stores. This has a direct impact on consumer. As long as utility store prices are maintained I do not see any impact on the segment that relies on government subsidy.
Unforutanely the theme is to fix the wheat prices and kill the farmers..everyone wants to be salary men ans noone wants to work in the farms..
Everyone wants to import cheap and be an enterpr...so what will the end result be..we dont have oil..so obvisouly look at lebanon
We have only three paths
1. Help the poor via targeted spending, continue path of balancing the books and development with fiscal constrains
2. Print notes..worked for nawaz sharif and hope that arabs will bail us out in two years
3. cut off spending in defense, state enterprises and electricity subsidies(three biggest spenders)
I would recomend talking to india and withdrawing from kashmir, this will help(to reduce defense spending)
Also giving up nuclear weapons may help in international trade, so will accepting isreal...
Also Building solar plants and hydro plants with help of "dumbledore" within two years will help decrease the cost of power..
you do realize how Pakistani market works? if imported milk is taxed, local milk producers increase their prices as well. this is what will happen to wheat. while govt has reduced subsidy only on its stock, others will raise prices
or the govt can get smart hardworking working people who actually work on improving management rather than taxing the shit out of everything.
So will money earned by farmers and so will salary class and govt employees under inflation pressure
But you cant run subsidies..this is a given period..you tried it for 50yrs see where are you right now vs india bengaldesh vietnam china and south korea
Strutural issues not fixed by this govt or previous govt
Still not taxing the middle men or any buisnessmen and going after producers is what is the real problem here leading to poor productivity