The Pakistan Flour Mills Association will hold its meeting on May 16 to decide its future strategy in the wake of Punjab Food Department's action of impounding flour mills' vehicles carrying wheat from open market. Association Group Leader Asim Raza Ahmad disclosed this while addressing a press conference here on Friday. The Department is discouraging the flour mills owners from buying wheat from the open market. Moreover, the Association is also irked by the increase in price of wheat from Rs 1200 to Rs 1400 in open market. "This increase is very alarming," he added.
He pointed out that for feed mills there is no restriction of buying wheat from open market while there is a 48-hour restriction on the flour mills. He said the Punjab Food Secretary will retire from his position and it will be the Punjab government that will face the repercussion of this unreasonable action.
"The government should act prudently," he added. He observed that a number of feed mills and their consumption of wheat is increasing fast, so the Punjab Chief Minister should take an immediate action to reverse the situation otherwise the province could face a food crisis. He warned that the department's imprudent step will compel them (mill owners) to shut down their flour mill.