Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah Monday ordered crackdown on hoarders so that illegally stored grain could be floated in the open market to stabilize the price of wheat flour (atta).

Murad took this decision while presiding over a meeting on wheat shortage and increasing price of atta at the CM House. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Food Minister Hari Ram, Agriculture Minister Ismail Rahu, Advisor to CM Murtaza Wahab, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi, Food Secretary Laiq Ahmed, Forest Secretary Raheem Soomro and others.

The chief minister said that he has reports that some traders have hoarded wheat in their godowns, hence, wheat prices have increased in the market. "We can't leave poor people of this province at the mercy of hoarders," he said and directed the chief secretary to start operation [against hoarders] with the help of concerned commission and whatever force, police or Rangers, is needed, must be utilised.

Briefing the chief minister, Food Secretary Laiq Ahmed said that as on Jan 13, 2020, the stock position was 405,938.549 tons of wheat which was lying with all the six regions. They included Karachi 10,374.333 tons, Hyderabad, 24,948.0 tons, Mirpurkhas 1,615.336 tons, Shaheed Benazirabad 58,524.593 tons, Sukkur 179,709.477 tons and Larkana 130,766.810 tons. Out of which the food department released 35,805.607 tons.

The chief minister was informed that as on Jan 13, 2020 the atta price stood at Rs43 per kg in all the regions. The chief minister said that at present about 300,000 tons of wheat was still in the godowns of the food department and the provincial government releases 130,000 tons of wheat in the city every month. "We have to release wheat till next two month, up to March 15 when fresh crop is harvested and lands in the market." He added that the provincial government has to make arrangements accordingly.

The chief minister was further informed that 77,000 wheat bags procured by PASSCO have been released in Karachi while 25,000 bags in Hyderabad. More stocks were being lifted from PASSCO godowns in Punjab and Balochistan.

To a question, the chief minister said that Rs90 billion of commercial banks' loans were outstanding against the Food Department. The Secretary Finance disclosed that Rs20 billion have been repaid. The PASSCO has also been paid wheat price from this amount. The chief minister directed the food department to work out a plan to pay all the dues of commercial banks at the earliest and get relived.

The chief minister also directed the food department to ask flour millers to set up their stalls and provide atta at Rs43 per kg to people. "I want you to stabilise wheat prices in two days, otherwise I would take stern action," the chief minister warned.

Murad also directed the food department to prepare a summary for the cabinet for wheat procurement plan 2019-20 so that support price and procurement target could be finalized in the cabinet meeting to be held on Wednesday.