SUKKUR, Feb 5: The wheat flour rate in the urban areas of Sukkur district shot up from Rs40 to Rs42 a kilogram as food department has reportedly stopped supply of wheat to chakki owners. The rate has increased to Rs45 per kilogram in the rural areas.

Chakki owners claimed that the food department had stopped wheat supply to them while a huge quantity of the commodity was being supplied to the flour mills on payment of a commission, allegedly to the director and controller concerned, at a rate of Rs100 per bag.

Sources said that the flour mills of Sukkur district had already obtained their quota of wheat but 10 of the establishments closed their business after selling away their respective stocks at a higher rate, causing an artificial shortage of flour in the market.

The sources said that the millers had made windfall profits by selling away their wheat quota but consumers had to pay a higher price of flour due to the shortage.

The sources further disclosed that big wheat stocks were released from the food department warehouses in Sukkur and Rohri to certain mill-owners on a three-month credit basis for which the officials concerned charged Rs100 to R150 per bag.

While the Sindh government had fixed the official retail rate of flour at Rs36 per kg, the rate in urban areas has shot up to Rs42 and Rs45 in rural and urban areas, respectively, according to a survey conducted on Tuesday.