Hike in flour prices perturbs twin cities’ dwellers

Islamabad : The residents of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are facing a hefty hike in flour prices for a week as a 20-kilogram bag (normal quality) of flour is being sold at Rs1300 against Rs1100 in the open market. The millers are presenting an excuse that the Punjab government has stopped providing subsidized wheat from April 30 and they have to purchase wheat privately from the open markets at skyrocketing rates, therefore, flour prices have gone up for a week.

Deputy Director (Food) Official Spokesman Muhammad Ali told ‘The News’ that they have stopped the government quota of wheat supply to millers. “We are providing 40-kilogram wheat to millers at Rs1950, but millers are purchasing wheat privately at Rs2450 per 40-kilogram from open markets now. Punjab government provided government quota of wheat till April 30 to millers,” he said. He has admitted that there is no fixed rate of flour bags for a week. “We have taken up this issue to take strict action against profiteers and hoarders,” he warned.

All Pakistan Flour Mills Association (Punjab) senior representatives have claimed that they are purchasing wheat from open markets at skyrocketing prices from May 1. “We were purchasing 40-kilogram wheat at Rs1950 under government quota but now we are purchasing wheat privately at Rs2450. “How we could sell flour at cheaper prices and how we could continue our business in loss, they claimed.

A survey conducted by ‘The News’ revealed that shopkeepers here in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are selling three kinds of flour bags. Punjab government fixed the ex-mill price of a 20-kilogram bag of flour at Rs1070 and allowed retail shopkeepers to sell it at Rs1100. Now from May 1, a 20-kilogram normal quality flour bag is selling at Rs1300 while middle standard quality at ‘Rs1450 and fine quality flour bag at Rs1600.

Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Noor-ul-Amin Mengal has also set up check posts at different points to monitor wheat smuggling to Afghanistan. He has strictly warned concerned officers to adopt zero tolerance in this issue to stop wheat smuggling to other areas.

The residents have appealed to Chief Minister Punjab Hamza Shahbaz Sharif to take up this issue immediately otherwise flour prices will further increase in the coming days. Already people are facing skyrocketing prices on all items, how they could purchase flour at skyrocketing rates, they said.