Threatened livelihood: Mill association threatens to block Punjab’s flour exports
K-P’s mill owners demand ban on inter-provincial wheat movement be lifted.
The mills of Punjab are now directly exporting flour to Afghanistan instead of routing wheat through K-P’s mills, he added. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Flour Mill Association warned it would block the route through K-P which was used to export flour from Punjab if the ban on inter-provincial wheat movement is not lifted.
According to the association, the government of Punjab has not allowed the transport of wheat grain to the rest of the country for the past month. This, association members believe, is against Article 151 of the Constitution and can result in the closure of 300 flour mills in K-P.
The provincial flour association’s chairman, Anis Ashraf, addressed a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday where dozens of flour mill owners were in attendance. “Nearly 300 of K-P’s mills are near closure due to the non-availability of wheat from Punjab.”
The mills of Punjab are now directly exporting flour to Afghanistan instead of routing wheat through K-P’s mills, he added.
“We will challenge this illegal and unconstitutional step taken by Punjab’s government,” said Ashraf.
Doughy matters
Flour mill owners have been compelled to purchase wheat at almost double the price from the open market to compete with the refineries in Punjab, claimed members of the association.
“We have been told the government of Punjab will lift the ban after they meet their wheat procurement target,” said Ashraf, “we do not know what their set target is.”
“We are sure they will remove the ban when they lift all the grain from the market and nothing is left for other provinces,” he claimed.
“In such a situation, we would be bound to purchase flour produced in their flour mills at prices they set.”
On a daily basis, more than 500 trucks of flour flow from Punjab through K-P; a majority of these are moving toward Afghanistan. Ashraf declared, “We will not allow their export through K-P to Afghanistan.”
According to the chairman, the association has spoken to K-P authorities who assured them of legal action against the government of Punjab.
“Capitalists are actively purchasing grain in Punjab; they are busy storing the grain,” said Naeem, another flour mill owner.
Every year, claimed Naeem, the Punjab Food Authority sets a four-million-tonne wheat purchase target and the Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Service Corporation a 1.6 million target, while the rest is procured at low prices by hoarders.
The set target of the K-P government to purchase 4.45 million tonnes of wheat will be badly impacted because of this ban on the movement of wheat, said Naeem.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2014.
The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Flour Mill Association warned it would block the route through K-P which was used to export flour from Punjab if the ban on inter-provincial wheat movement is not lifted.
According to the association, the government of Punjab has not allowed the transport of wheat grain to the rest of the country for the past month. This, association members believe, is against Article 151 of the Constitution and can result in the closure of 300 flour mills in K-P.
The provincial flour association’s chairman, Anis Ashraf, addressed a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club on Monday where dozens of flour mill owners were in attendance. “Nearly 300 of K-P’s mills are near closure due to the non-availability of wheat from Punjab.”
The mills of Punjab are now directly exporting flour to Afghanistan instead of routing wheat through K-P’s mills, he added.
“We will challenge this illegal and unconstitutional step taken by Punjab’s government,” said Ashraf.
Doughy matters
Flour mill owners have been compelled to purchase wheat at almost double the price from the open market to compete with the refineries in Punjab, claimed members of the association.
“We have been told the government of Punjab will lift the ban after they meet their wheat procurement target,” said Ashraf, “we do not know what their set target is.”
“We are sure they will remove the ban when they lift all the grain from the market and nothing is left for other provinces,” he claimed.
“In such a situation, we would be bound to purchase flour produced in their flour mills at prices they set.”
On a daily basis, more than 500 trucks of flour flow from Punjab through K-P; a majority of these are moving toward Afghanistan. Ashraf declared, “We will not allow their export through K-P to Afghanistan.”
According to the chairman, the association has spoken to K-P authorities who assured them of legal action against the government of Punjab.
“Capitalists are actively purchasing grain in Punjab; they are busy storing the grain,” said Naeem, another flour mill owner.
Every year, claimed Naeem, the Punjab Food Authority sets a four-million-tonne wheat purchase target and the Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Service Corporation a 1.6 million target, while the rest is procured at low prices by hoarders.
The set target of the K-P government to purchase 4.45 million tonnes of wheat will be badly impacted because of this ban on the movement of wheat, said Naeem.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 20th, 2014.