Punjab ban triggers K-P flour crisis

Only 27 days of wheat stocks left; 20kg bag price jumps to Rs2,700

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is heading towards a severe food crisis due to restrictions imposed by the Punjab government on the movement of wheat and flour, leaving the province with stocks sufficient for only 27 days, Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) K-P Chairman Muhammad Naeem Butt warned.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, Naeem Butt said K-P requires about 5.2 million tonnes of wheat annually, while its own production stands at just 1.2 million tonnes. He added that nearly 75 per cent of the country's wheat supply comes from Punjab, but since August 25, the Punjab government has imposed what he termed "unconstitutional and illegal" restrictions on inter-provincial transportation of wheat and flour.

He said the curbs have forced around 80 per cent of flour mills in K-P to shut down, while only 20 per cent are operating by purchasing expensive smuggled wheat from Punjab. As a result, wheat in K-P is being sold at Rs12,500 per 40 kg, around Rs2,500 per 40 kg higher than Punjab.

Due to rising wheat prices, he said, the cost of a 20-kilogram bag of flour has surged to Rs2,700, placing a heavy burden on low-income consumers. He alleged that wheat consignments destined for K-P are being stopped at checkposts and diverted to mills in Punjab instead.

Naeem Butt said the Punjab government has formally claimed that there is no ban on wheat transportation, but questioned why wheat consignments continue to be stopped if no restrictions exist. He warned that flour mills, once the only major industry in K-P, now face the threat of complete closure.

The PFMA chairman called for the formation of a joint committee to resolve issues faced by flour mills nationwide. He said multiple letters had been sent to the Prime Minister and the Punjab Chief Minister, but no response had been received so far.

He urged the Prime Minister to order an immediate inquiry into the matter and demanded that the ban be lifted without delay, noting that K-P needs at least 4.1 million tonnes of wheat to meet its requirements.

Appealing to Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Naeem Butt demanded the immediate release of government wheat stocks and their supply to flour mills through the food department. He said while Punjab and Sindh are providing subsidised wheat to their populations, the K-P government should also extend relief to its people.

He further demanded that if there is a national wheat shortage, the government should import wheat and supply it to flour mills through PASSCO to ensure affordable flour for the public. He concluded by calling for an inquiry into why Punjab imposed restrictions on wheat and on what grounds K-P is being deprived of its share.