Several social media users share a picture of a poster allegedly issued by the Punjab government, warning farmers that selling wheat over the state price of RS2,675 per year. 40 kg could lead to three years in prison.

The claim is misleading. The poster in circulation is from August 2024. No such policy has been enforced by the Punjab government this year.

Assertion

A viral mail on Facebook from March 18 claims that farmers selling wheat over RS2,675 per year. 40 kg, is facing three years in prison and a fine of RS500,000.

The post attributes this order to Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

The image that accompanies the position seems to be an official banner from the Punjab government stating that the price of a 40 kg of wheat bag in Bahawalnagar has been determined to RS2,675. It also warns that violation of the rate or failure to sell wheat at the government-sanctioned price can lead to imprisonment, a fine or both.

The post has been shared over 217 times and liked 236 times.

Similar allegations were widely divided into X (formerly known as Twitter) here and here.

Fact

The viral poster is from last August, and it is not recent, confirms four government officials in Punjab.

Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti, Secretary of Price Control and Goods Administration Department (PCCMD), an administrative department tasked with price control in Punjab, told GEO FACT CHECK Over the phone: “The poster is from last year.”

Bhatti clarified that pricing of wheat follows two categories. One is the minimal support price (MSP) that is announced when the government acquires wheat from farmers.

“But Punjab’s government has not yet made any decision to purchase yet,” he added, “because of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditional [government] Does not set an MSP this year. “

Secondly, the release price is the rate in which the government sells its stored wheat. Below is a review issued by Price Control and Commodities Management Department on March 21, which has set the release price of 40 kg wheat to RS2.900.

It should be mentioned here that the provincial government adopted the Punjab prize management of the Essential Commodities ACT 2024 last year, which allows it to set prices for all essential raw materials, including wheat.

The law limits farmers from selling or reselling any significant item at a price higher than that set by its price control council, while sanctions for offenders include imprisonment for a period of three years or a fine of five hundred thousand rupees.

Despite the law, Bhatti argues because of the conditions set by the IMF, which the provincial government does not plan to intervene in the open market at all.

“Yes, the law gives us the power to intervene, but it will be a last resort – only if the market is completely out of control,” he said, “but the department does not expect things to go that far.”

In addition, Adnan Badar, Deputy CEO of the Food Department in the Bahawalpur division, also confirmed to GEO FACT CHECK Over the phone that the poster circulates online is from last year August.

He also said he was told that the market will now be deregulated after conversations with the IMF, and the provincial government is not planning to buy any wheat this year.

Faisal Shareef, District Food Controller in Bahawalnagar and Muhammad Asad, Incharge at Deputy Commissioner Bahawalnagar control room, also called the posters old and not recent.

Judgment Misleading. The viral poster is old and the Punjab government has not issued such a directive this year.