Govt accused of stopping mills from procuring wheat despite arrival of new crop

LAHORE: Flour millers hailing from Punjab have accused the provincial government of not allowing the mills to procure wheat despite the arrival of a new crop in the market which may create a shortage of flour.

“Unannounced restrictions are being slapped on procurement by the flour mills in the province coupled with stoppage of government wheat releases which have rendered the mills unable to even meet their daily requirements,” said the PFMA Punjab Chairman Chaudhry Iftikhar Mattoo.

While talking to media persons here on Wednesday he alleged that the mills were creating unnecessary hurdles in procuring wheat. He alleged that wheat present in mills godowns and declared on the government portal was being taken into custody and unloaded in the government godowns. He further said that false FIRs were being lodged against mills due which might lead to a shortage of flour in the market.

Iftikhar said that the clamping of mills vehicles loaded with wheat had created a wave of unrest among the millers. He demanded that the government should allow mills to freely procure from the market as per their daily use and withdraw restrictions on the free movement of wheat by the mills.

He said mills should be issued permits to buy wheat so as to meet their daily grinding needs and ensure smooth supply.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Food Department (PFD) has advised the wheat growers to ignore rumours being spread in the market about any change in the wheat support price.

The government has fixed the support price of wheat at Rs 3900 per maund for giving reasonable compensation to the farmers of their crop. The Food department procurement campaign is ongoing and purchasing the grain from farmers on that fixed support price.

“Support price of wheat will remain Rs 3900 per maund. Food department is purchasing the wheat on that support price and will continue to purchase on the same price,” said the provincial Food department’s spokesman.

The spokesperson advised the farmers to sell their wheat to the Food department for getting reasonable compensation for their crop.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023