Timely import of wheat didn’t lead to shortage of grain: HCCI chief

HYDERABAD: President Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Adeel Siddiqui has said that support price of wheat must be fixed for farmers but its burden should not be transferred to consumers in shape of expensive flour.

He said that timely import of wheat didn’t lead to shortage of grain in the country and consumers bought flour at an adequate price. He said that this import led to saving of Rs125bn at consumers’ end.

In a statement issued here Monday President HCCI said that due to import of wheat price of flour remained stable. He said per kilo of wheat cost Rs65 while rate of locally produced wheat was Rs100 per kilo. He said that import had set the declining trend of price hike.

As far as influential farmers’ losses were concerned, he said, it was due to administrative negligence and influential landlords were given gunny bags in order to pay them support price of Rs4000 per 40kg despite the fact that gunny bags were to be provided to small size farmers. He said that purpose of payment of support price for small and medium size farmers is to encourage them grow more wheat next year.

Adeel Siddiqui maintained that wheat import decision was correct in view of wrong planning and administrative lapses and today sufficient wheat stocks were available in the country and consumers would be able to get flour at reasonable price.

HCCI Chief said that loses should not have been incurred by farmers and it was purely due to mess in wheat procurement by food department. He said that private sector imports grain when there was gap in demand supply of wheat or shortage of wheat is feared.

HCCI Chief said that as per government estimates there was shortage of 125,000 metric ton of wheat in the country and that’s why private sector was allowed by Economic Coordination Committee to import wheat sans subsidy so that hoarding could be checked and flour price stability is ensured. He said that ECC had asked state Bank of Pakistan to allow opening of letter of credit (LCs) for wheat import.

HCCI Chief said it was unjustified to blame caretaker government and importers rather they should be praised for allowing timely import of wheat. He said that intentions of wheat importers should not be doubted. He said that pending import of wheat was being done under government policies, applicable taxes and duties. He said that wheat importers were to be harassed then they would not be able to play their role in times of any crisis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024