Punjab Food Department has increased the price of wheat issued to the flourmills from government stocks, from Rs 545 per maund to Rs 690, officials said. Thus the new price of 20kg flour bag, would be Rs 390 (Ex-Mill) after the increase of Rs 145 in the wheat issue price.
While the district co-ordination officers (DCOs) will fix the market price in their respective areas, it is hoped that wheat would be available in the market at Rs 400 per bag. Confirming the news, Punjab Secretary Food, Irfan Elahi informed Business Recorder that the millers now have to pay the new price for the wheat they started lifting from Monday.
He said that the new prices of the flour bags would be applicable from next Monday, which would be the first working day after the Eid-ul- Fitr holidays. It may be recalled here that under special Ramazan package announced by Sharif government, 20kg bag was offered to the masses at Rs 300 throughout the holy month. To make it possible, the government was offering wheat to the millers at the rate of Rs 545 per maund. Earlier, Punjab government had announced that flour would be available at Rs 300 per 20kg bag till Eid-ul-Fitr.
The Food Secretary said that the government had also issued the mills two days extra quota on last Saturday to make flour available during Eid holidays. Regarding another package under which 'Roti' was being offered to the masses at Rs 2 per roti, he said that it would continue.
Furthermore, the government would pay subsidy on flour provided to Tandoors under this scheme, he said. Officials further said that the food department had also reduced the wheat quota being issued to the mills for the whole province. The department was releasing 14000-14500 metric tons of wheat to the mills in Punjab that had been reduced to 12000 metric tons now.