05 January 2004	Monday	12 Ziqa'ad 1424

KARACHI, Jan 4: Sindh government has refixed retail price of wheat flour in the province at Rs12 per kg to avert a looming atta crisis , being feared due to wheat hoarding by unscrupulous flour millers.

Keeping in view the exhausting government stocks, which could only be refurbished after the new wheat crop in March, the mill owners, despite their sick units, got their wheat quota released only to hoard it and sell it in the open market with better profit margin, informed sources said.

They told Dawn that last week a meeting of officials concerned was held at the Sindh secretariat to review the situation, which was also attended by Sindh Food Secretary, District Coordination Officer, and general manager of the Utility Stores Corporation.

The meeting decided that the retail price of wheat flour at the utility stores would be Rs10 per kg and the mill owners would also be provided wheat at subsidized rates, who would ensure to market the flour at Rs10.50 per kg, the sources said, adding, however, the price could not be maintained at the level by the wholesale dealers.

The meeting was informed that in last December the matter was also raised in the Sindh Assembly and the Food minister had informed the House that the wheat crisis was caused due to hoarding of wheat by some mill owners. During Ramazan-ul-Mubarak, when the wheat flour crisis was reported in the press, the government had released wheat more than the fixed quota to the flour mills, as a result, the government wheat stocks were almost exhausted.

The chief secretary, taking notice of the situation, has directed the DCO and Food secretary to hold meetings with the mill owners and ensure that the wholesale dealers of flour should not exploit the situation, and those found indulging in profiteering should be taken to task.

He also directed the DCOs of other districts to ensure quality atta supply in the market at the fixed price. Meanwhile, the Food secretary had issued orders to stop immediately wheat quota of all sick units in the province. In the market "Chakki Atta" is being sold between Rs14 and Rs16 per kg, while at the 40 Utility Stores in the city flour was available at Rs10 per kg.