PFMA halts production in 92 Karachi flour mills

Demands the de-sealing of raided mills, fixed wheat quota

KARACHI:

Sindh is likely to witness a shortage of flour as the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), on Thursday, announced putting a halt to production in all 92 flour mills based in Karachi until the government de-seals mills raided by the provincial government, releases a fixed wheat quota and allows free transportation of wheat from interior Sindh to the city.

The demands were made during a press conference held in Karachi after the general meeting of the association.

At least six flour mills were sealed in Sindh following instructions from Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to crack down on millers selling flour above the government mandated retail price.

Speaking to the Express Tribune, PFMA Sindh Chairman Chaudhry Amir said that the food department had sealed the mills under false pretext. “The charges against the millers are false and fabricated,” he lamented.

According to the PFMA chairman, the government warehouses currently have a total stock of 70,000 tonnes of wheat, of which 30,000 tonnes is “unconsumable” – which the government is forcing the flour mills to buy.

Explaining that the food department was failing to fulfil its responsibilities by supplying low quality wheat, he said, “We will not be blackmailed”.

Former chairman of the association, Chaudhry Yousuf said,“We have always served the people and when we had the full quota of standard wheat in January, flour was supplied at Rs95 per kg in Karachi, while it was priced at Rs120 per kg in other provinces of the country. In January, the mills received 225,000 tonnes of quality wheat, but in February, the fixed quota of wheat was not given. The wheat that the government wants to give is substandard, and the price of wheat in the open market is Rs120 per kg. The quota of wheat for the mills will end on March 10.”

“As a protest against the government’s raids, all 92 flour mills in Karachi have been closed until our demands are met,” said Yousuf, adding that, “The government has created a crisis for itself by imposing restrictions on wheat transportation. Wheat is not produced in Karachi – flour mills have to buy it from interior Sindh. But the government has banned the supplies from interior Sindh.”