Wheat, sugar shortage feared in Ramazan

TCP re-issues tenders for 0.3m tonnes of wheat, 50,000 tonnes of sugar

ISLAMABAD:

The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) has re-issued tenders for the import of wheat and sugar, raising fears that that the country might face a shortage of the most important commodities of every household during upcoming Ramazan.

The Ministry of Food Security has requested the TCP to import 300,000 tonnes of wheat. According to sources, the tender for the import of wheat has been re-issued due to the costly bidding in the first tender.

The same is the case for sugar. The sources said that the first tender for 50,000 metric tonnes of sugar was cancelled due to an expensive bid, which was re-issued. The commodity was being imported for utility stores which cater to the needs of a major chunk of the population of the country. Usually, sugar is available at Rs69 per kilo at utility stores.

Earlier, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) had said that after the increase in per capita prices of sugarcane, the price of sugar is likely to go above Rs89 per kilo.

On the other hand, chicken meat is now out of the reach of poor people as in Karachi, the price of chicken is Rs480 per kg while the official rate is fixed at Rs214 per kg. In Peshawar too, its price went over Rs250 per kilo.