ISLAMABAD, Aug 11: The Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers’ Association (PVMA) has asked the government to give representation to the private sector in the ministerial committee on core food inflation.

PVMA Chairman Amjad Rashid in a statement issued on Saturday said that the representatives of the private sector engaged in manufacturing of essential food items should be associated in the deliberations of the committee.

He said the private sector representatives would be in a better position to give valuable input in the formation of a long-term policy together with appropriate economic and administrative measures to keep prices of essential food items under control.

The PVMA hoped that its suggestion would be given due consideration by the government to make the policy more transparent viable and effective.

The ECC of the cabinet had constituted a ministerial committee headed by Minister for Industries Jahangir Khan Tareen to look into the causes of upward trend in prices of essential food items and suggest measures to ensure adequate supply to the market and stability in prices.