Pakistan Flour Mills Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (PFMA-KP) chapter demanded of the federal and provincial government to exempt flour industry from all taxes amid outbreak of the novel coronavirus pandemic in the province.
In a statement issued here on Sunday, PFMA KP chapter chairman, Hajji Muhammad Iqbal said that flour industry is adversely affected by recent outbreak of coronavirus pandemic. So, he appealed the Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Mahmood Khan, Minister for Food and Agriculture, provincial food department and relevant authorities to waive off income tax on head of electricity bill and other extra taxes.
The Association president said despite wheat shortage and crisis, the flour mills industry is continuously supplied flour in local market to avoid any shortage of this food commodity in the province. He said the labour is working in flour industry insignificant number owing to outbreak of coronavirus pandemic.
However, he said flour industry has arranged additional labour to run the mills around the clock to ensure availability of huge quantum of flour to people in local markets and fulfill the food commodity requirement and prevent from creating any flour crisis in the province.
On the occasion, PFMA KP chapter group leader, Muhammad Naeem Butt said the flour mills owners have ensured sufficient production of flour despite the wheat shortages and crisis.
He said the cutting of fresh wheat began in Sindh, saying that wheat is available in Sindh in sufficient quantity, therefore, KP flour mills should allow to procure wheat from Sindh immediately. In this regard, he urged the federal and provincial government to remove hurdles in procurement of new wheat from Sindh and relief to flour industry by exemption from taxes at optimal level.