ISLAMABAD: The Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue, Shaukat Tarin, has asked the provincial governments to ensure that all released wheat is being converted into flour and made available in market at government price.
The adviser was presiding over the weekly meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), attended by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Fakhar Imam, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farruk Habib, Secretary Finance, Secretary Industries and Production, Secretary Food Security, Additional Secretary Commerce, Chairman TCP, MD Utility Stores Corporation, Commissioner ICT, provincial chief secretaries, chief statistician PBS, and other senior officers.
The NPMC reviewed the prices of daily-use commodities and essential food items in the country and the Secretary Finance briefed the meeting about the weekly SPI data of last week.
The secretary maintained that prices of essential commodities of tomatoes, onion, potatoes, chicken and sugar registered significant decline during the week as compared to the same period of last year.
Wheat flour in Sindh: Tarin concerned at price differential
The secretary finance informed that prices are decreasing in the country and new stocks of sugar have started arriving in the market, which will further lower the prices.
The meeting observed that the increase in prices of edible oil in the global market has affected the local prices.
Wheat flour bags remained consistent at Rs1,100 per 20kg in Punjab, KP, and ICT, the meeting was informed, and daily release of wheat by all the provincial governments will further ease out wheat prices at national level.
The chief secretary Punjab apprised that sufficient stocks of wheat are available and being released accordingly.
The adviser asked the Ministry of Industries and Production for taking measures to control the prices of edible oil and adjust the rates according to the prices in the international market, especially when international prices are declining.
He further advised to make efforts for availability of strategic reserves of edible oil.
While reviewing the production of pulses in the country, it was informed that moong production has increased as compared to last year.
The meeting was also informed that fertilisers’ prices have also begun to decrease after taking administrative measures.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021