March, 15 2005	Tuesday	04 Safar 1426

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LAHORE, March 14: Flour squeeze continues in some parts of the city and price keeps a rising trend as imported wheat has failed to ease domestic market.

There were reports of varying prices in different parts of the city with price ranging from Rs240 to Rs260 per 20kg bag.

Commenting on the situation, Khaliq Arshad of Pakistan Flour Mills Association says that price increase was more to do with the failure to clamp down on profiteers rather than any shortage of wheat in the market.

“It is a fact that domestic market has totally dried up during the last few weeks. Even rural areas now need flour from millers. The millers, on their part, are dependent on supplies from the Food Department which is now decreasing supplies because of precarious stock situation.

Another market watcher was of the opinion that since there was no mechanism to control prices, retailers were at liberty to charge.

“The government knows from last year’s experience that current system of governance lacked any system to monitor and check flour prices. It is still failing to evolve such a system and exposing people to dangers of exploitation of unscrupulous elements. It must try to develop a system to check price at retail level, otherwise people will continue to suffer for one reason or another,” he maintained.