Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), NWFP branch has called for expansion in the storage capacity of wheat stores, increase in the quota of flour mills and resolution of the problem of unscheduled power load shedding in the province. The demands were made in a meeting of the association here with chairman, Mohammad Naeem Butt in the chair.
The meeting also called for explanation of ban on inter-district movement of flour, and increase in the storage capacity of godowns for competing unfavourable situation of the industry. Former vice chairmen PFMA NWFP branch, Malik Iftikhar Ahmad Awan and Mohammad Sadiq attended the meeting. Flourmill owners from different districts of the province briefed the chairman of the association of their problems.
The meeting was told that consecutive 8-hour long power load shedding in district Swat had brought business to standstill situation, saying that substandard strategy of Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has inflicted huge financial losses on the mill owners.
They said that thousands of labourers have also been rendered jobless due to the closure of the mills. The flourmills association warned Wapda for bringing change in its attitude otherwise, they threatened launching strong protest campaign against it. The meeting called for the allotment of the closed flour mills quota in Swat to operational mills of the district. The meeting also termed the present capacity of wheat storage of public sector stores is insufficient and proposed expansion in them.
Addressing the meeting, Chairman PFMA NWFP Branch called for increase in the release of wheat from the official godowns. Otherwise, he said that the arrival of the new crop would turn the stocks useless, saying ultimately the national exchequer would be inflicted losses to the tune of billions. He said that 50 percent flourmills in district Swat and 25 percent in Dir are not lifting their wheat quota. Therefore, he said that the remaining quota should be released to the operational mills.