Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the wheat and flour prices are stable in Sindh but higher prices in Punjab may destabilise the market here.

This he said on Thursday while presiding over a review meeting of wheat stocks and prices here at CM House. The meeting was attended by Minister Food Hari Ram, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Food Laiq Ahmed and others.

Briefing the chief minister, secretary food said that the supply and prices of wheat and flour were stable in Sindh. At this, Murad Ali Shah said that high prices in Punjab may destabilise the market in Sindh.

It may be noted that normal releases of wheat by Sindh Food Department starts in the month of September. Mr Laiq told the chief minister that the Punjab government has decided to release wheat forthwith because of the wheat crisis in that province. He added that still the wheat and flour prices in Sindh were lower than the Punjab.The chief minister emphasised the federal government to release wheat earlier on the pattern of Punjab so that wheat prices could be stabilised in the market.

Murad Ali Shah directed the food department to prepare the overall position of wheat production and availability in the country. “The matter of price fixation and release of wheat will be placed in the next cabinet meeting for discussion and decision,” he said. Earlier, the price of flour can also shoot up in Sindh after the increase in Punjab, the provincial food authority has warned Sindh chief minister. The Sindh food department informed Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah in a meeting on Thursday that the rising wheat price in Punjab can also impact Sindh. CM Shah has reportedly directed the provincial food authority to devise a policy to control the price of flour in Sindh. He told the officials that the price flour must not be increased in the province. In Punjab, the flour mills have agreed to sale the 20 kg packet of flour for Rs860 after talks with the government officials. The shopkeepers in Lahore, however, said that the mills have not yet delivered them flour after the government fixed the price. Usman Buzdar, the Punjab chief minister, has ordered the provincial food department to take action against hoarders and ensure the availability of flour in markets.