LAHORE: The Punjab food department assures wheat growers that there will be no downward change in the grain minimum support price (MSP) as flour millers have convened a meeting against ban on wheat purchase permits in the province.
An official of the food department says that the Punjab government has fixed Rs3,900 per 40 kg as the minimum support price of wheat for paying a reasonable compensation to the growers.
He says the department`s procurement campaign isgoing on for purchasing grain from the farmers on the fixed support price and seeks to dispel the rumours that there is any downward change in the MSP.
The official assures the farmers that the department will continue to purchase wheat at the same price until meeting its procurement target.
Meanwhile, the Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association claims that the food authorities have banned wheat transport permits in the province and has convened a meeting of the body to take a decision against the department`s action.
Punjab chapter chairman Iftikhar Mattoo says new wheat crop has hit the market but the government isgoing on for purchasing grain from the farmers on the fixed support price and seeks to dispel the rumours that there is any downward change in the MSP.
The official assures the farmers that the department will continue to purchase wheat at the same price until meeting its procurement target.
Meanwhile, the Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association claims that the food authorities have banned wheat transport permits in the province and has convened a meeting of the body to take a decision against the department`s action.
Punjab chapter chairman Iftikhar Mattoo says new wheat crop has hit the market but the government is disallowing the millers to purchase it as an `undeclared` ban has been imposed on private players in the wheat market.
He says the millers are failing to run their flour units because the food department has already put a halt to the supply of grain from its storages, while they are also being disallowed to purchase the new wheat crop from the market.
He alleges that the wheat stocks lying at mills in Rahim Yar Khan and declared on the official web portal are being confiscated and being hauled to official godowns, while cases are being registered against the mills.
He warns of an impending flour crisis in the market if the government`s `highhandedness` continues, for mills particularly inLahore, Gujranwala and Rawalpindi have exhausted their old stocks and are now waiting for the new crop.
He demands that the government allow the mills to purchase wheat from the open market like in the past removing all hurdles in the free movement of wheat on permits so that they may continue grinding grain to meet flour needs of the public.
He says the PFMA executive committee`s meeting convened for Thursday(today) will take decis i o n s against the g o y e r n ment policy of banning wheat permits.
