KARACHI, Sept 18: Adviser to the Chief Minister on Food and Agriculture Mir Murtaza Khan Jatoi has said that his department the fixed has ex-mill price of wheat flour at Rs14 per kg and also increased the quota of flour mills across the province by 50 per cent.

Speaking at a meeting in his office here on Tuesday, he said the federal government was requested to take measures to overcome the artificial shortage of wheat flour in the province. Accordingly, the Centre had approved an increase of 50 per cent in the mills’ quota, he said.

Mr Jatoi told the officials at the meeting that fixing of ex-mill price would facilitate sale of wheat flour at Rs14 per kg to consumers during Ramazan. He said the provincial government was making every effort to ensure availability of flour to citizens at the prescribed rates. He warned that the government would not allow black-marketing of wheat and flour, adding that that the situation was now under control.

Food Secretary Sikandar Ali Keerio told the meeting that special stalls would be set up soon in Karachi and other cities to sell flour directly to consumers at the fixed rates.

He said the government was awaiting flour mills’ response to the increased quota and prices, adding that further steps would be taken in the light of their response.

Director Food Inam Dharejo and other senior officials attended the meeting.—PPI

Karachi has been experiencing a shortage of wheat flour for several weeks and in some parts of the city, atta was selling at more than Rs21 per kg, our staff reporter adds.

Consumers have also been complaining of poor quality wheat and flour being sold at retail outlets and chakkis. In some areas, chakkis had to stop functioning due to the non-availability of wheat.