HYDERABAD, Oct 8: Chakki owners believe flour prices will rise to at least Rs3 per kilogram in near future on account of fresh increase in transportation and labour charges and electricity tariff.

They insist that they need increased per week quota of wheat to meet flour consumption of the city while deputy director of food says they will be supplied the grain according to last year’s allocation of quota.

Deputy Director of Food Gul Mohammad said on Wednesday that the department’s godowns were replete with wheat stock and there was no shortage of the grain. Besides, the government was supplying imported wheat to meet a possible shortage, he added.

“Right now, I don’t have figures with me about quantity of wheat in godowns and that of imported grain to be supplied to us but I can assure you that there is no shortage,” he said.He said there would be no change in quota of wheat supply and the department would ensure last year’s allocation for this year too. Current rise in prices of wheat and flour was on account of Eid holidays and it would be brought under control soon after wheat was supplied from food godowns, he said.

About 150 chakki owners went to the district food controller’s (DFC) office to seek allocation of wheat but they failed to meet him and were asked to visit again on Thursday to get their quota.

The deputy director confirmed that the wheat quota would be issued on Thursday.

Wheat was sold at around Rs2,850 in the open market on Wednesday, which will in turn rise the price of flour to Rs30-31 per kilogram. The previous wholesale price of chakki flour had been fixed at Rs23.50 and Rs24.50 retail and that of roller flour mills at Rs22 wholesale and Rs23.50 retail.

The chakki owners claimed that they had received wheat for three weeks last year while this year in July they had been provided wheat in July for four weeks.

“We were asked to submit an undertaking that we would get 17,000 bags for each month of September and October,” said the vice-president of Atta Chakki Owners Association, Haneef Rajput.

He said that this year’s quota was released on July 29 for full four weeks of September. The quota needed to be raised to meet the city’s requirement, he added.

The chakki owners defended rise in per kg chakki flour on account of hike in electricity tariff, transportation and labour charges. The previous rate was fixed in the first week of Ramazan and Wapda revised its tariff after Sept 9, therefore it would affect their production cost, they argued.

“I believe new flour rate should be fixed at Rs26.50 wholesale and Rs27.50 retail,” said Mr Rajput. In fact, he said, atta chakkis were located in each and every locality of the city and were supposed to be fair price shops for consumers and shop owners.

According to him, wheat is not available in the open market because of an expected flour shortage in case wheat quota was not increased by food department. “At least 50 to 60 bags per stone are needed to cater to the city’s needs,” he remarked.

Another chakki owner said that there were reports that challan from government godowns would be revised at around Rs2,132 or Rs2,235 instead of Rs1,932 per 100 kg as fixed by the government earlier.