LAHORE: The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) has alleged that the provincial food department has banned storing more than 200,000 maunds of wheat.

It has led to Rs 75 per maund increase in the wheat in the open market and the price has reached Rs 4725 per maund, said PFMA Lahore Chairman Asim Raza Ahmad while talking to media on Friday.

The push in the wheat prices had also increased the flour prices and a bag of 20 kg is now being sold at Rs 2800 in Lahore. He claimed that if the situation continues, there is a fear of wheat shortage and flour becoming more expensive.

Asim Raza alleged that the secretary food seemed to have taken this step in haste. He said he was seeing more rise in wheat and flour prices if food department officials continue to stop loading by mills vehicles. He asked the Chief Minister Punjab to take notice of this decision and intervene so as to give relief to the masses.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023