Despite increase in wheat support price: Flour not to be expensive, says Shibli

ISLAMABAD: The PTI Senator Shibli Faraz said Saturday the fixing of support price of wheat at Rs1,800 per 40kg and the announcement of subsidy for cheap flour was a clear proof of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s farmer friendliness. He tweeted to say that the development of the country and the development of the agricultural sector was linked to the prosperity of the farmer and that prosperity and development of farmers was the mission of Prime Minister Imran Khan. “The federal and provincial governments of the PTI are committed to ensuring the supply of cheap flour to the common man. Flour will not be expensive despite the increase in the support price of wheat, subsidies are being given to benefit consumers,” he noted.

The senator said that the federal and provincial governments would ensure that half of their strategic reserves (five million tonnes) come from imported wheat.

“When the government procures wheat from abroad to meet half of its strategic needs, the pressure on domestic availability of wheat will be lessened. Banking credit lines for wheat purchases will be available only to flour mills and those registered with the government,” he noted. Shibli said that the credit line application would mention the storage locations for the wheat, whereas flour mills could get as much wheat as they want, but it would be necessary for the mills to grind the wheat and not store it for further sale. “The government will take steps to curb hoarding,” he noted.