MULTAN: The sale of wheat flour at higher price continues in Multan where citizens are forced to purchase wheat flour at higher rates on Monday.
Shopkeepers charged Rs 500 additional price at each 20-kilogram flour bag. The government has fixed Rs 805 for the bag of 20-kg flour but it was sold at Rs 1,100 to Rs 1,300 for a 20-kg bag. In a survey conducted by this scribe, it was revealed the flour was not available at sale points established by the City District Administration and the citizens suffered a lot of difficulties in purchasing flour at government-fixed rates from the sale points. The owners of flour millers complained of inappropriate supply of wheat from food department allegedly owing to officials concerned. Pakistan Flour Mills Association Punjab zone ex-chairman Liaquat Khakwani told The News that the current wheat flour crisis has been linked to the issue of demand and supply.
The government had sold at least 800,000 tonnes of wheat to poultry sector when the 2018 wheat crop was harvested last year instead increasing the quota of flourmills. He said when all commodities were increasing in the market but the PFMA had reduced prices to Rs 3 as goodwill gesture to compensate masses. The PFMA reduced prices on the request of Prime Minister Imran Khan when the wheat prices were touching at highest level and limited availability of wheat from the government, he said. The flourmills were continuously supplying flour at the rates fixed by the government, he added. The flour crisis has hit the south Punjab districts where increase in prices has witnessed in Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur divisions, keeping in view of massive increase in 40kg-wheat price to Rs 2,150. Some retailers demand Rs 680 to Rs700 for branded 10kg fine flour brands, thus alarming consumers for further jump in prices. Chakki flour and super fine flour (Maida) sells at Rs70 per kilogramme.
The Multan Metropolitan officials have denied reports of wheat and flour in the district, stating that wheat and flour are available at Rs 805 for 20-kg bag. DD Amir Khatak said the metropolitan city has tightened monitoring supply of flour quota from the government wheat supplied to mills. District Food Controller Muhammad Mumtaz visited a number of flourmills and imposed Rs 300, 000 fine on the Yousaf flourmills, officials said. The DFC also imposed Rs 100, 000 fine on Al-Hafiz flourmills over providing wrong information about wheat stock. He has suspended government wheat supply quota to the flourmills for three days. The officials said the DC has issued strict orders checking quality of flour and sent flour sample of one of the flourmills to laboratory for quality test.
Talking to reporters, DFC M Mumtaz said stern action would be taken against flourmills owners over not grinding complete quota of wheat. Mumtaz said some 21 food inspectors were monitoring 46 flourmills in the district and he was paying surprise visits to flourmills. He said the flourmill owners are directed to supply ten-kilogram flour bags along with 20-kg bags. This decision has been taken to accommodate those who have no capacity to purchase 20-kilogram flour bags. Each ten kg flour bag would be available at Rs 402 in the market, he said.
The DFC said food inspectors and Price Control Magistrates are also monitoring flour bags supply and quality. He refuted the information about shortage of flour in the district while the food department has surplus wheat storage in godowns. The wheat storage is enough to the population of Multan district.
He said flour is available in bulk quantity at sales points established by the city district administration. He said at least 200 flour bags were supplied at sales points on Monday. The district government administration has established sales points at Ghantha Ghar, Hassanabad, Eidgah, MDA chowk, Lal Kirti, Wilayatbad, Mumtazabad and other spots.
