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Tuesday March 19, 2024

KP food minister claims no wheat flour crisis in province

By Bureau report
January 22, 2020

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Food Qalandar Khan Lodhi has said that there is no wheat flour crisis in the province and masses should not pay attention to what he claimed were rumours.

“The provincial government is supplying wheat flour at fixed rates through notified flour dealers and mobile trucks at different points. The Food Department has 6, 76, 000 metric tonnes of wheat for this year," he added. According to an official handout, the minister stated this while talking to media during a visit to flour market in Rampura Bazaar. Secretary Food, director Food, Peshawar deputy commissioner and other district administration officials were also present on the occasion. "I am aware of the wheat flour situation in the province and personally monitoring the availability and prices of flour in the markets," he added. He said normally Food Department maintained annual stock of wheat up to 400,000 metric tons, however, this year in consultation with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan wheat stock was increased to 6, 76,000 metric tones.

The minister said the Food Department was releasing 5,000metric tonnes of wheat daily to the local flour mills. Qalandar Khan Lodhi said wheat flour was available in markets at notified flour dealers and mobile trucks were offering 20kg bag at Rs 808 at various points of cities. The minister said as per new policy guidelines of the department, the district administration along with the Food Department must ensure wheat flour from local mills through licensed dealers. He said nanbais were being provided with flour at subsidised rate from local flour mills and hence their strike was unreasonable. The minister, however, said negotiations were underway with the Nanbai Association to resolve this issue at the earliest.