QUETTA, Jan 16: The Balochistan government on Wednesday increased the official price of flour from Rs14 to Rs15.50 per kg after consultations with flour mill owners.

Chief Secretary K.B. Rind held a meeting with a number of mill owners and allowed them to supply 20kg bag of flour for Rs297. Its open market rate was fixed at Rs305.

Mr Rind said the provincial government was trying to overcome the flour crisis and strict action would be taken against profiteers and hoarders. He said that imported wheat would arrive in the province in a couple of days. He asked retailers to sell flour at rates fixed by the government.

Meanwhile, provincial Home Secretary Furqan Bahadur and Food Secretary Azam Baloch said at a press conference that the official rate had been increased in consultations with the millers to ensure a smooth supply of flour in the market.

The home secretary said Balochistan was not receiving flour from Punjab. However, he said, the province had so far received nine trucks of wheat from Passco, adding that it was seeking more form the federal government.

The federal government had already approved 38 tons of wheat for Balochistan.

He said that the food department had a stock for 17 days while mills held 7,000 tons of wheat.

“We have asked mill owners to bring their stocks to the market to ease the situation,” he said, adding that the monthly flour quota for Utility Stores had been increased from 1,500 to 5,000 tons.

Mr Bahadur said that Balochistan’s quota of 100,000 tons of imported wheat would reach the province in three days.

Answering a question, he said the government had taken strict measures to curb smuggling of wheat and flour to Afghanistan.

He said the Frontier Corps had seized 180 tons of wheat in the border area.

“No one will be allowed hoarding and the government will take stern action against those found involved in profiteering and hoarding.”

The secretary said that a provincial food committee headed by the secretary food had been set up for smooth supply of whet and flour.