LAHORE: The Punjab government’s new wheat procurement mechanism is struggling, as private firms are experiencing buying failures due to pricing disputes, financing issues, and farmer resistance. Under the 2026 strategy, the government aimed to procure 3 million tonnes of wheat through 11 private companies, shifting away from its traditional state-led buying model. To incentivise participation, authorities offered extensive support: negotiating bank loans, covering 70 per cent of markup costs, providing free storage in Food Department warehouses, and assigning around 400 experienced personnel to assist firms during procurement.