Flour mill owners call off strike

Agree with govt over inspection, security at trucking points

LAHORE:

The Punjab Flour Mills Association withdrew its call for strike after meeting a ministerial committee on Monday.

The association disassociated itself from the mills indulging in embezzlement of subsidised wheat meant for the poor.

It was agreed with consensus that inspection of flour mills would continue in accordance with the standard operating procedures (SOPs). However, the provincial food secretary will be informed if any official of the department oversteps his jurisdiction.

The committee accepted the demand of the association for providing security at the trucking points to thwart robbery.

It was decided that a committee would be constituted to deliberate upon a demand for supply of privately produced flour to other provinces.

The participants of the meeting decided that the committee would submit its recommendations regarding exclusion of wheat flour from the schedule of the Punjab Prevention of Speculation in Essential Commodities Act, 2021.

Earlier in the day, the food department succeeded in securing the quota to ensure the availability of flour on Tuesday.

The secretary thanked the leader of the Progressive Flour Millers Group for ensuring uninterrupted supply of flour.

A day earlier, the food department took action against several flour mills involved in embezzlement of government wheat and selling it at high prices in the markets.

The Progressive Flour Mills Association, All Punjab Atta Chakki Owners Association and Grocery Merchandisers Association had announced their disassociation from the strike.

The food department had suspended the wheat quota of 35 flour mills and improved flour supply in the market by providing additional quota to the mills.

The prices of wheat and flour had been continuously increasing for the past several months despite the daily supply of 24,000 metric tonnes of subsidised wheat by the Punjab government to the flour mills for the supply of subsidised flour.

The chairman of the Flour Mills Association, Iftikhar Mattu, had alleged that the food department was harassing the mill owners and ignoring the SOPs regarding inspection.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Punjab Food Secretary Muhammad Zaman Wattoo said the officers of the department were inspecting the flour mills in accordance with the rules and regulations, while action would be taken against the mills violating the legal procedure.

The secretary said more than 900 flour mills in Punjab were receiving subsidised wheat but action had been taken against those selling it at inflated rates.

He said the government was supplying wheat to the mills at Rs2,300 per 40kg as against the market rate of Rs4,200.

Meanwhile, Lahore Grocery Merchant Association president Hafiz Arif Gujjar said there was no shortage of flour in the markets.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2023.