Daily Times

RAWALPINDI: The suspension of wheat supply to flour mills in Rawalpindi has led to hike in flour prices by Rs 8 per kilogramme.

The flour mills get wheat under a quota on a daily basis but the Food Department has suddenly suspended wheat supply to more than 57 flour mills against government quota, forcing the flour mills to purchase wheat from open market.

It was agreed upon between the government and the flour mills that flour would be sold at Rs 40 per kilogramme but in certain areas shop keepers have enhanced the rate by Rs 8 to Rs 10 per kilogramme and a 20 kilogramme bag is being sold at Rs 830 instead of Rs 770. The flour mills owners said that if they are not supplied wheat the city may witness flour crisis during Ramadan.

District Food Controller Mehr Ejaz Siyal said the supply to flour mills has been suspended because wheat procurement process is under way at the government level. He denied that flour prices have gone up.