Flour body rejects wheat release policy

LAHORE: Ruling group of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) has rejected what it calls discriminatory wheat release policy of the provincial Food Department, threatening to close down business if the government fails to take corrective measures.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, PFMA office-bearers including Asim Raza and Abdul Rauf were of the view that the provincial Food Department had decided to release wheat from government stock to flour mills located only in five major cities of the province. Such discriminatory policy would lead to undue price fluctuations in the province, they said.

They blamed the Food Department for wheat and flour price hike, alleging that mills could not buy wheat due to optimistic policies of Punjab. Now, they observed, continuing ill-advised approach, the officials of Food Department including Secretary wanted to deprive majority of flour mills of subsidised wheat.

The members of PFMA would not tolerate such treatment at any cost. They asked the government to amend wheat policy otherwise, flour millers would be forced to suspend operation of industry in a few days.