PESHAWAR: The Finance Adviser of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muzammil Aslam has introduced a new wheat release policy that is meant to solve the wheat and flour shortage in the province.
Aslam, in a video statement recently, indicated that this policy would help bring down the prices of wheat in the open markets of Punjab and Sindh, which had been increased due to the restrictions.
Aslam blamed the Punjab government for the illegal ban on wheat exports as the main reason for the country’s wheat and flour crisis. He contended, “The entire country’s wheat supply is highly dependent on Punjab and Sindh, and the restriction on wheat exports from these provinces has been the reason behind the price hike.”
He also mentioned that the shortage of wheat had caused an increase of 10-12% in the price of flour in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where the price of wheat had reached Rs. 5,000 per maund.
To this end, the KP government has undertaken to release 136,000 metric tons of wheat from its strategic stocks to bring the prices down. The new policy has determined the price of a 20kg flour bag as Rs. 2,220, with the bag having a green stamp on it to indicate its genuineness and that it has been properly distributed.
“By doing this, the price of flour will fall from Rs. 125 per kilogram to Rs. 104 per kilogram for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” said Aslam. This action is anticipated to resolve the flour shortage in the province and also to control the prices of wheat all over the country.
Aslam pointed out that the new policy would be a great advantage not only for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but also for the whole country by significantly contributing to the elimination of the wheat and flour crisis in other areas as well. The government is hopeful that the initiative will not only lead to the stability of prices in the long run but will also guarantee a staple supply.
