Millers in Punjab foresee severe wheat crisis in coming days
RAWALPINDI: The All Pakistan Flourmill Association-Punjab, Vice-Chairman, Sheikh Kashif Shabbir, has claimed that the nation could face severe wheat (Atta) crisis if the government did not stop creating hurdles for the millers or would not provide wheat at a lower rate.
While talking to The News, the vice-chairman said over 90 percent consumers are buying 20kg bag of wheat at Rs1,200 from retail shops. The local administration has set up only five ‘Sahulat Bazaars’, where a 20kg wheat bag was being sold at Rs860, while the retail shopkeepers have been selling the same 20kg bag at Rs1,200. Only 10 percent consumers could approach ‘Sahulat Bazaars’ to buy wheat at subsidised rate, while 90 percent consumers could face the worst kind of inflation in retail shops, where a 20kg wheat bag with the same quality was being sold at Rs1,200.
Vice-Chairman Sheikh Kashif Shabbir warned the government to provide wheat at lower rate to reduce the retail prices, otherwise it could increase further in coming days. He said the millers have been selling a 20kg bag at Rs1,080 to 1,120, because they have been purchasing a 40kg wheat bag at Rs2,025. The government has fixed the price of 40kg wheat bag at Rs1,800 but we have been bearing the cost at Rs2,025, when reached at the mills. He said the government has been creating hurdles for the millers, despite achieving the wheat target and if the government did not look into the matter, the wheat crisis would become more severe in coming days.
On the directives of the Punjab government, the local administration has set up only five ‘Sahulat Bazaars’ at the Committee Chowk, Chur, Chungi No.22, Gulzar-e-Quaid and Haidri Chowk, where all essential items particularly wheat was available at subsidised rate to provide relief to the people. District Food Controller (DFC) Malik Muhammad Zaman told ‘The News’ that the flourmill owners are buying 40kg wheat bag at Rs1,800 from open market, despite the government supply of 40-kilogram wheat bag at Rs1,475 which has been stopped.
Zaman said that the provincial government has directed to provide 20kg wheat bag to consumers of ‘Sahulat Bazaars’ at Rs860, while the millers have been providing a 20kg wheat bag at Rs1,120 but the retailers have been selling at Rs1,200, adding that the wheat price may further increase in coming days. Meanwhile, the consumers appealed to the Punjab government to increase the number of ‘Sahulat Bazaars’ to provide maximum relief to the people, as the food department had set up 100 wheat points. One of the consumers said a 20kg wheat bag was available at Rs860 during Ramazan, while after the national economy is getting stronger, the prices of basic essentials are being increased by the profiteers and hoarders.
