20000203Govt urged to lift ban on inter-provincial wheat movement

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), Punjab, has urged the government to lift ban on inter-provincial transportation of wheat-flour forthwith.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, PFMA leaders, including Ch Saud Majid, Chairman, and Bilal Aslam Soofi, honorary adviser of PFMA, stated that the retail price of 20 kg wheat flour bag will be Rs 159 from Monday and added that the government has agreed to increase the wheat flour price.

They were of the view that the imposition of GST and other heavy taxation had made it inevitable to increase the price of flour and the government acceded to the demand of the flour mills in this regard.

They appreciated the recent decision of the Punjab Food Department regarding providing wheat quota to 77 new flour mills of the province. They demanded of the government to provide equal wheat quota to all flour mills of the province.

"The flour mills of Multan, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Gujranwala are being provided less wheat quota due to which flour price may jump upward in these areas," they added.

They also demanded of the government to freely allow the import export of wheat and wheat products and make arrangements to provide wheat flour to Afghanistan instead of providing wheat.