Mills increase flour price

LAHORE:Punjab Food Department has discontinued release of wheat quota from its godowns with arrival of new crop.

Subsequently, flour mill owners unilaterally increased price of flour, citing costly wheat available in the open market. After the arrival of new wheat crop in the market, the flour mills have fixed the price of 20-kg flour bag at a rate of Rs2,580 and 10-kg flour bag at a rate of Rs 1,300, while last year 20-kg bag price was Rs1,280.

Moreover, new price of 80-kg fine flour is Rs 12,000, whereas previous year its price was Rs4,550. It is being expected that rate of Roti and Naan will also be increased in the coming days. Asim Raza, an office-bearer of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), said not only the provincial government has discontinued wheat supply to flour mills, but also didn’t issue wheat permits to transport the wheat from other districts.

About unilateral increase in flour price, he said since the price of wheat is increased so they have to increase the price. When contacted, Secy Food Punjab M Zaman Wattoo said as per policy wheat releases to flour mills have been stopped when procurement starts.