Lakhowal opposes Centre's stand on wheat sale from Punjab

Moga, Mar 13 (UNI) Bharti Kisan Union President and Punjab Mandi Board Chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal today expressed concern over the Union Food Ministry's move asking private parties and agri-corporates to refrain from purchasing wheat from the mandis of Punjab and Haryana so that government could procure maximum wheat for Central pool.

Talking to mediapersons here, he claimed that the Food Ministry had recently called the meeting of agri-corporates and asked them to spare Punjab and Haryana for government procurement agencies while allowing them to operate in Rajasthan, UP and MP.

''Farmers of Punjab would not tolerate such type of discrimination,'' he stressed.

Mr Lakhowal warned that if these restrictions imposed on agri-corporates were not withdrawn, the BKU would challenge these ''discrminatory orders'' in the Supreme Court.

He also warned that farmers of Punjab would also resort to stopping the sale of their produce to the government agencies.

''We would direct an appeal to the farmers not to bring their produce in the market and stock it in their houses,'' he said.

Mr Lakhowal claimed that if agri-corporates were allowed to purchase from the Punjab mandis, farmers would have got at least Rs 200 per quintal more than the MSP of Rs 1000 per quintal.

He appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to take up the issue with the Prime Minister.

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