LAHORE: Panic buying in the wake of rumours of imposition of curfew soon coupled with large-scale buying by some philanthropists is leading to partial shortage of wheat flour and some other kitchen items in parts of Punjab province.

Though the government has increased wheat release from its godowns and is repeatedly announcing that there’s no shortage of the commodity while new crop is also expected within weeks, people are facing shortage of flour particularly in towns and villages far from the provincial capital.

The main reason for panic buying is the rumour-mongering by some unscrupulous elements out to cash in on the Covid-19 crisis as they are propagating that the government is considering imposing curfew to ban movement of people for curbing the corona infection.

Food Minister Samiullah Chaudhry says the department is releasing 6,000 ton more wheat daily than the province’s consumption of 24,000 ton thus there should be no shortage of the commodity anywhere in Punjab.

The reports of shortage in some areas, he says, may be attributed to ‘abnormal’ buying for various reasons. Influenced by rumours, he says, the consumers are buying more than their real requirements and thus fomenting the crisis as some shopkeepers are also urging people to buy maximum flour, rice and pulses by misguiding them that the government is going to impose curfew to check spread of corona virus.

Anwer Hussain, the proprietor of an Ata Chakki in Mughalpura area, says as usual sale of food items picks up at the beginning of every month when most of salaried class gets their wages. But this time he is seeing a surge in the purchases by consumers.

He says that because of fluctuations in the price of wheat in the open market some Chakki operators like him who are supplied grain from the food department godown, have reduced their grinding capacity, resulting in temporary shortage of the commodity in specific areas.

Blaming big dealers for the price fluctuations, he says wheat price in the open market has gone up from Rs1,800 per 40 kg to Rs2,100 and they are left with the option of either passing on this increase to the consumers or halt grinding until getting wheat supplies at reasonable rates.

Mr Hussain is selling flour at Rs66 per kg to pass on some of the load of the higher wheat prices to consumers.

Some philanthropists are also stocking wheat to distribute it among the needy and those daily-wagers rendered jobless because of the lockdown. This activity too is putting pressure on the supplies calling for a mechanism to regulate the charity business so that hoarders may not take advantage of it.

Admitting that the situation is encouraging hoarding, the minister warns the unscrupulous traders to refrain from benefitting from the situation as the government will soon begin raiding the sites suspected of serving as godowns for hoarders.

Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2020