Tenders to import 3m tonnes of wheat rejected

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered to import 30 lakh tons of wheat and open tenders were furnished but all the tenders were rejected. The Punjab Flour Mills Association ex-president Iftikhar Ahmed Matto stated this on Wednesday.

He said that 16,700 ton daily quota of Punjab flour mills was specified and 1,500 tons wheat quota was earmarked for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa flour mills. He said that Punjab Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz issued orders to supply 7,500 tons wheat and flour from private wheat quota to other provinces but the Punjab Food Department had not issued permits to supply wheat and flour from the private quota of 7,500 tons wheat.

The government previously decided to procure 35 lakh tons wheat while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed procuring 50 lakh tons wheat and the target was achieved. The hoarders increased the wheat price by Rs600 per maund and now its price was Rs2,800 per maund, he said and added that 70 to 80 lakh tons wheat stocks were available in the country and food department has the stock of 47 to 48 lakh tons wheat. In the same way, Passco, Sindh and KP have also sufficient stocks of the commodity. He said the government should increase the wheat quota of the flour mills so that an unprecedented hike in the wheat price in open market could be checked. Hoarders managed to raise the wheat price by Rs600 per maund. He said the government should launch a crackdown on the hoarders, confiscate hoarded stock and bring that stock to the government godowns and pay hoarders as per the government rate.