ISLAMABAD, April 8: The local administrations of Rawalpindi and Islamabad are trying to avert an atta (wheat flour) crisis but the situation is likely to aggravate as the Punjab food department has decided to suspend wheat supply to mills on April 30 till arrival of next crop, it was learnt on Tuesday.

The capital administration has set up six sale points for providing 20kg flour bags at the controlled rate of Rs300. These sale points have been set up at Aabpara market, Sitara market, Karachi Company, G-9, Tarnol, Bhara Kahu and Golra.

Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Amer Ali Ahmed said the sale points had been set up to facilitate the consumers and providing relief to them.

District Food Controller Mohammad Afzal visited I-9, I-10 and I-8 markets and supervised the availability of atta in these sectors.

He said smooth supply of atta was being ensured in the city and rural areas. Since sufficient atta was available in the markets, the sale of the commodity at the six sale points remained very low on Tuesday.

An official of the food department told Dawn that the prevailing crisis could aggravate later this month as Punjab food department would suspend supply of wheat to flour mills till the arrival of new crop.

It is feared that due to suspension of wheat to the millers, the rate of atta will go up further by Rs3 to Rs5 per kg. The Punjab government will officially suspend supply of wheat to flour mills on April 15, whereas the cut-off period set for Rawalpindi is April 30. The food department at the same time has reduced the supply of wheat to all the 85 flour mills in Rawalpindi and Islamabad from 4,500 tons to 2,900 tons as its wheat stock is nearing to deplete.

The food department is selling wheat at Rs465 per maund to flour mills, and when the department ceases to supply wheat flour mills would buy wheat from the open market where the price ranges between Rs625 and Rs700.

The official believed that the wheat flour crisis would continue to loom at least till July when the new crop will arrive.

He suggested that the government should give subsidy to the public on atta price through utility stores and other outlets. It may be noted that the federal government has already announced to increase the support price of wheat to Rs625 for the next crop.

As the crisis is on the anvil for the second time in 2008, hoarding is in full swing in anticipation of increase in atta price, admitted an official of the food department.

Atta has almost disappeared from retailer shops and a 20kg bag is being sold for Rs310 to Rs340.