January 16, 2008	Wednesday	Muharram 06, 1429

KARACHI, Jan 15: As the supply of government-sponsored mill wheat flour has improved in the city, consumers have yet to see any substantial decline in the prices of chakki (wholemeal) and refined atta, which continued to remain in short supply in many markets on Tuesday.

However, millers said that after Rangers began monitoring wheat and flour supplies, only genuine buyers visited the mills for flour.

Retailers in different areas were seen quoting varying rates. Some quoted Rs26 and Rs28 per kilogram for chakki and refined atta as compared to Rs27 and Rs29-30 per kilo a few days back. Some retailers said the chakki atta’s rate had come down to Rs24 per kilo.

The city government had taken up the case of price fixation for chakki atta with the food department, but the officials said as its price fluctuated sharply, it could not be fixed.

City government officials said they could not force the retailers to sell chakki atta at reduced rates unless its prices were officially fixed. The officials were checking profiteering on every variety, except the chakki atta.

In the last six days, some 343 retailers have been fined Rs817,800 while 37 retailers have been sent to jail.

The head of the city government’s Price Checking Campaign, Matanat Ali Khan, claimed that the campaign was making some difference and some 70 per cent people of the city were getting government flour at Rs17.50 per kilo.

The general secretary of the Karachi Retail Grocers Group, Farid Qureishi, said that many retailers were still reluctant to sell government atta at Rs17.50 a kilo after procuring it from mills at Rs17 per kilo. “In case the retail rate is increased to Rs18 per kilo, it may attract more retailers,” he said.

He said the mill atta rate had fallen to Rs1,360 per 80kg bag from Rs1,700.

The Chairman of the Karachi Wholesalers’ Grocers Association, Anis Majeed, said the wholesale market was now getting 50 per cent supply of Rs17 per kg atta from the millers.

Supply from mills was arriving but not at a very fast pace. However, he added that the mill flour was available at Rs17 per kg with some wholesale dealers.

Karachi Atta Chakki Association president Abdul Sattar said that chakki atta rate at the retail stage had fallen to Rs26 from Rs28 per kg following a decline in the 100kg wheat bag prices to Rs2,100 from Rs2,300 in the last one week.