Millers threaten strike over wheat prices

The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), Rawalpindi-Islamabad chapter, has announced that flour mills in the twin cities have suffered losses of Rs4 billion due to what it termed the Rawalpindi Food Department’s flawed policies. The association warned that if compulsory wheat procurement is not stopped and raids, fines, FIRs and action against wheat and flour transport continue, it will launch a complete strike and strong protests.

The association said flour mills cannot sell a 10-kilogramme flour bag for Rs1,075 after purchasing wheat from the open market at Rs4,600 per maund.

It added that rising wheat prices have increased the price of flour in Rawalpindi and Islamabad by Rs150 per bag and Rs10 per kilogramme, triggering protests by flour mills, dealers, grocery shop owners and consumers.

The association held a meeting on the wheat and flour situation under the chairmanship of Punjab Flour Mills Association Chairman Riazullah Khan.

Leaders including Raza Ahmad Shah, Tariq Farooq Sethi, Ahmad Aziz Bilour, Atif Mirza, Khawaja Ishaq, Sanaullah Durrani, Chaudhry Mukhtiar and Khawaja Imran attended the meeting and expressed concern over the Punjab Food Department’s policies.

Participants unanimously said the Food Department had procured 200,000 wheat bags from flour mills in Rawalpindi and Islamabad at the official price despite the region being a non-producing area, causing financial losses of Rs4 billion.

They said mills would be unable to comply with any further procurement demands.

The association said there is no government restriction on the transportation of wheat products, yet cases are being registered against flour mills.

It described the action as contrary to the PML-N government’s industry-friendly policy and warned that attempts to artificially control the market despite weather-related damage to this year’s wheat crop could have serious consequences.