Food for all

What challenges might arise regarding food supply in a complete lockdown and how should the provincial governments cope with these challenges? To ensure availability of food to the people, it is necessary that retail stores, wholesalers, grocery shops, meat shops, bakeries, and milk shops remain open as usual. Due to a ban on inter-provincial and inter-district public transport, it is important that law-enforcement agencies are directed to allow goods vehicles hassle-free movement. A dedicated control room may be established at provincial headquarters to coordinate with other provinces to sort out any problems arising with regard to transport of food items.

If need be, the provincial government can requisition the cold storage facilities of the private sector and store perishable food items there. At least one month’s food supply should be available with provinces in reserve to shore up the local market supplies in case of any interruption of inter-provincial supply chains. In extreme cases, provinces should also make contingency plans for introduction of rationing of food to ensure supply of food to all. There is a strong possibility that profiteers might take advantage of the situation, and hoard food items to create a false shortage in the market. The provincial governments should remain highly vigilant. These are testing times for us. Nothing can give us more strength in our fight against the coronavirus than our unity as a nation.

Hafiz Abdul Majid

Secretary Industries & Commerce Department

Government of Balochistan