LAHORE, Aug 30: Wheat releases by the Punjab food department are ranging between 150 and 200 ton which the officials hope will pick up by the end of September when supplies from the open market start drying out.

According to department officials, releases are currently being made in Gujrat and Rawalpindi, and Lahore has just started. Though the department is releasing wheat, the private sector still has huge stocks (1.2 million ton according to the State Bank estimates).

The department releases will increase to the normal rate only when the private sector dry out and the millers’ dependence on the department increase. They say the department’s total releases have not gone beyond 3,500 ton so far during the last 45 days of regular releases and “it is only because of substantial supply from the private sector.” —Staff Reporter