LAHORE: The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) and the Punjab Food Department representatives discussed the prevailing prices of wheat and flour and agreed to work together for bringing stability in flour prices in the market.

A two-member PFMA delegation was led by its Chairman Asim Ahmad Raza while the government side was represented by Secretary Food Punjab Waqas Ali Mahmood. Director Food Punjab Wajid Ali Shah was also present on this occasion.

Sources said the government has started consultation with the stakeholders to start issuing wheat from the government stocks to bring down the flour prices. It is hoped that the issuance of wheat from the government stocks can bring down the wheat prices in the market by Rs 100.

It is hoped that if wheat is issued to flour mills from the government stock, it can help to bring down the flour bag price by Rs 60 which is at present available at Rs 1000 per 20 kg bag in the market.

The sources said the imported wheat would also reach by September while the issuance of wheat from government stock for the next two months will help to facilitate the consumers which have faced a hike of Rs 195 per bag in recent days despite the fact that fresh wheat was available in the market.

Secretary Food Punjab Waqas Ali Mahmood while addressing the meeting said that the food department will fully cooperate and facilitate the flour mills in purchasing wheat. Waqas Ali Mahmood said that the food department and the Punjab Flour Mills Association will work together on mutual strategy and all the problems faced by flour mills will be solved. While stressing the need for importing wheat, he said the international market of wheat is becoming stable and wheat price will be 220 dollars (Rs 1450) per maund reaching Karachi, the Secretary Food further added.