Flour prices have again increased in southern Punjab despite official claims that flour is being provided at controlled rates. A survey on Saturday showed that a 20 kg sack of fine flour was being sold at around Rs 400 to 450 while the super flour was being sold at Rs 440. The price of fine flour on retail market was Rs 450 and that of mixed flour was Rs 440.
A dealer of Chakki Owners Association, Niaz Muhammad Khan, said that the increase in flour prices was the result of the ban imposed by the Punjab government on transportation of flour and wheat outside the province. "The recent increase in the support price of wheat is also a reason for the hike," he said.
Another dealer said the price of a 20 kg flour bag, which stood at around Rs 380 a few days ago, now stands at Rs 450. Special teams comprising the food department personnel and rangers conducted raids on different shops and flour mills to ensure supply of flour on fixed price and more than four dozens retailers and flour millers were fined.
DCO Multan, Fazeel Asghar, announced an increase in the number of fair price shops at every union council from one to five, and directed officials to monitor prices regularly. He also asked them to hold regular meetings of price review committees.
Flour Mills Association held Punjab Food Department responsible for the price hike. "We have asked the provincial government to stock at least 2 million tons wheat to avert any such situation. As long as the government does not keep sufficient stock, wheat crisis will keep on erupting," he said.
He said the price hike would continue until the new crop arrives in the market, and added that if the government did not subsidise prices the cost of a 20 kg bag would touch Rs 400. "Around 50 percent of the flour being sold at fair price shops ends up on the black market," he alleged, and suggested that if the government closed fair price shops the market would itself bring the profit ratio down.
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