ISLAMABAD, Feb 15: The Federal Food Committee (FFC) on Friday directed all the relevant authorities to ensure supply of two-day advance wheat quota to flour mills by Feb 17.

“We should extend two-day wheat quota to the flour mills in advance across the country by Feb 17 so that there should be no shortage of flour to the consumers due to holiday on Sunday and election day on Feb 18,” FFC Chairman Farooq Ahmed Khan said at a meeting of the committee.

The meeting noted with satisfaction that prices of flour and shortage of wheat and flour had begun declining across the country with each passing day.

Representatives of Punjab, Sindh, the NWFP and Balochistan briefed the participants about the supply and demand and price situation of wheat and flour.

They said the supply and prices situation had improved because of measures and interventions of the FFC.

“Flour is available at Rs15.50 per kg and it would come down after the arrival of new wheat produce by the end of February in Sindh and in March in Punjab,” the committee’s chief said.

He warned that cases would be lodged against mills producing substandard flour.

“We have stabilised the wheat and flour situation across the country and urged the provinces to take responsibility and expedite their efforts in this regard,” he remarked.

He said the provinces facing deficiency of wheat should store the commodity and submit their requirements to Punjab by Feb 15 so that no shortage could occur in future.

He asked the public sector to bring rice in the market for maintaining the prices. “We will never tolerate a hike in the prices of rice affecting the poor people,” he remarked.

He said the FFC would also monitor the supply and prices of edible oil, sugar and pulses. If required, “we will seek assistance from the Frontier Constabulary in this regard,” he said.

He directed the Trading Corporation and railways to expedite transportation of wheat from the ports to the provinces.

He said the Fata secretary to take special steps to check smuggling of wheat and flour to Afghanistan.

The committee also took notice of the reported bread prices of Rs5 in parts of Islamabad and directed the price control committee to take action against profiteers.—APP