FM Dar stresses need for coordinated policy approach to ensure market stability of essential commodities
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Monday emphasised the need for a coordinated policy approach to ensure market stability for essential commodities and food items.
Food inflation for June recorded a positive growth of 4.2 per cent in urban areas and 2.4pc in rural areas, whereas non-food inflation was 2.2pc in urban areas and 4.7pc in rural areas. The food prices rebounded to a positive trend after a decline in four consecutive months.
In urban areas, the food items whose prices saw the month-on-month increase in June included tomatoes (57.33pc), potatoes (25.74pc), onions (15.26pc), eggs (8.82pc), gur (2.75pc), rice (1.67pc), wheat flour (1.53pc), sugar (1.52pc), fresh fruits (1.38pc), milk powder (0.78pc), milk fresh (0.40pc) and milk products (0.35pc).
A statement posted on Dar’s X account said he chaired a meeting today to review the domestic situation of essential commodities and food items.
“The DPM/FM emphasised the need for a coordinated policy approach to ensure market stability. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of both consumers and producers through proactive planning, effective oversight, and inter-agency collaboration.”
The discussions focused on supply and demand dynamics, pricing trends and measures to ensure the stable availability of essential food items in the market, the statement said.
The meeting was attended by Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Tariq Bajwa, the commerce secretary and other senior officials from the associated ministries and departments.
In March, Dar said that retail sugar prices should not exceed Rs164 after the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) warned sugar mills against price manipulation. Dar said that according to news reports, there was a spike in sugar prices to Rs178 -179, which was “obviously not tolerable” to the prime minister.
The CCP stated in March that it has been actively working to curb cartelisation in the sugar industry, promoting fair competition and protecting consumers.
