PESHAWAR: Owners of mills here have warned that price of 20kg flour will go up by up to Rs90 from first week of July due to increase in various taxes in the federal budget.

All Pakistan Flour Mills Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, leader Naeem Butt said in a statement here on Thursday that the turnover tax had been increased from 0.25 per cent to 1.25 per cent with effect from July 1 and the sales tax on bran had been imposed at 17 per cent which would also be implemented from the same date.

The flour price, he said, would rise in all provinces.

He also referred to reservations of the mills owners across the country, saying that in a meeting recently held in Lahore their central chairman Badruddin Kakar had condemned the government’s decision to increase the taxes.

He said this increase would add to miseries of the people already facing price hike. He said buying flour was compulsion of the customers and the prime minister should take notice of the tax and price issues.

Mr Butt said in case of tax hike the millers would either increase the flour price or shut their business to avoid financial losses.

He said the millers, particularly those in KP, were already facing problems due to restrictions on wheat movement from Punjab.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2021