Flour millers demand higher wheat quota

Association says that curbs on grain movement from Punjab hurting K-P

PESHAWAR:

Pakistan Flour Mills Association Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa chapter has demanded immediate lifting of ban on wheat movement from Punjab and an increase in wheat quota.

Chairman of association Haji Iqbal Ahmed Khan, group leader Muhammad Naeem Butt and senior flour mill owners told a press conference that there is a severe shortage of wheat and flour in K-P.

The main reason behind high flour rates in the province is the ban on bringing wheat from Punjab to K-P.

Khan said that the requirement of wheat quota in K-P province is 14 thousand to 15 thousand tons “while we are being given only 5 thousand tons of wheat quota daily, which is extremely low”.

“If the ban on wheat quota and flour from Punjab ends and the government increases the wheat quota, the rates of flour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be reduced by Rs500 to Rs600.”

The association leaders have appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to immediately lift the ban on wheat quota from Punjab province and increase the wheat quota.

He said that restriction of wheat quota by Punjab government is illegal and immoral act.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 3^rd, 2023.