Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) has asked the government to announce new wheat procurement policy for the forthcoming wheat crop, keeping in view the suggestions of all stakeholders.
Mujahid Khurshid a senior representative of PFMA told Business Recorder here on Thursday that the association has already asked the government to only allow Passco, provincial food departments and flour mills for wheat purchase so that wheat crisis can be averted in future.
He was of the view that the government must hold investigations to unearth the causes of recent wheat crisis and claimed that some hoarders having sufficient credit limits for cotton and rice procurements had purchased wheat in bulk and stored the same that caused hike in wheat prices as well as artificial wheat shortage.
"These people in order to get prices of their liking manipulate the market according to their wishes. PFMA has already written letters to all the banks and concerned government functionaries to discourage the role of middleman in the wheat trade, he added.
Responding to a question, the PFMA representative said that situation of wheat flour availability in the country has improved significantly.
To another question, Mujahid Khurshid replied that chakki owners after getting wheat from open market on higher rates are supplying wheat flour at Rs 13 per kg, while the government has fixed price at Rs 11 per kg.
He stated that the government has also increased the wheat price from Rs 330 to Rs 350 per 40 kg for flourmills, which is one of the reasons of increase in wheat flour prices.
The PFMA representative said that a meeting of all stakeholders of wheat flour sector must be convened in Islamabad for getting their suggestions for new wheat procurement policy.