To ensure availability of wheat flour at low rate, the government has lifted the quota limit for Utility Stores Corporation. The decision was taken at a meeting of Ministry of Food and Agriculture headed by Additional Secretary, Food and Agriculture Shahid Hussein.
It was also decided in the meeting to provide two to three weeks'' wheat quota to flour mills in advance. The orders were also passed to provide plenty of wheat to utility stores and government centres to facilitate the people in getting flour.
The meeting was informed that year 20.3 million tones of wheat were produced in current, however, the required wheat in the country is 20.2 million tones. It was revealed in the meeting that presently 2.2 million tones of wheat are available in the government stores whereas 1.5 million tones of wheat have been exported.
The shortage of wheat is the result of political situation prevailing in the country, especially after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, the meeting claimed. However, the situation has been controlled and the wheat quota of flourmills has been increased in January from 15,000 tones per day to 32,000 tones per day, the meting was informed.