Farmers Call for Minimum Support Prices and Protest Wheat Imports During UN Food Security Session

Chishtian: In a bold move on the first day of the UN Committee on World Food Security’s annual plenary session, the Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee, in collaboration with the Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD) and the Sawera Foundation, held a seminar and demonstration advocating for food sovereignty and sustainable agricultural practices. This year’s session also commemorates the 20th anniversary of the Right to Food Guidelines, a framework established in 2004 to guarantee access to adequate and sustainable food.

The seminar brought together small farmers, civil society members, government representatives, and agricultural experts to address pressing issues surrounding food security and farmers’ rights in Pakistan.

Farmer leader and general secretary of the South Asia Peasant Coalition, Tariq Mehmood, expressed frustration over the government’s failure to support small farmers. “It is unacceptable that small farmers are struggling to sell their wheat while the government refuses to buy their yield. Instead of bolstering local production, the government’s decision to import wheat undermines farmers and threatens food security in the country. We demand adequate minimum support prices for wheat and sugar to protect our farmers,” he stated.

The farmers’ organizations have been vocal in their criticism of the government’s choice to import wheat in the latter half of last year and the first quarter of this year. This influx has resulted in market saturation and a decline in prices. Following the devastating floods of 2022, which severely impacted wheat farming, Pakistan faced a shortage in early 2023. Data from the Ministry of National Food Security and Research indicates that over 3.5 million tonnes of wheat were imported between September 2023 and March 2024, where prices were considerably lower. Consequently, by April, when local farmers began their harvest, the national and provincial food storage departments were holding over 4.3 million tonnes of wheat in reserve.

Chaudhary Mohammad Abbas Advocate, another farmer leader, criticized the government’s policies, stating, “The decision to allow unlimited private importation of wheat has devastated small farmers. With storage facilities full, small farmers are forced to sell their wheat to alternative sources at significantly reduced prices, resulting in substantial losses. Without competitive and minimum support prices for our staple crops, we cannot ensure food security in the country.”

Following the seminar, participants gathered outside the venue for a demonstration, brandishing placards that demanded a comprehensive climate action plan. The calls underscored the urgent need to address climate impacts and ensure protections for small farmers.