LAHORE, Dec 12: The Punjab Food department on Wednesday increased wheat releases to mills by 8000 tons in an effort to improve flour supply in the market and stabilize its price. A senior official of the department said the releases had been increased to 21,000 tons a day from 13,000 tons.

Meanwhile, flour supplies, which at best have been erratic, affected the Punjab dwellers as district coordination officers and district food controllers struggled to ensure flour supply at officially declared price but failed.

Retailers claimed they were not getting supplies, and their orders were delayed up to four days which meant they were getting only 25 per cent of demand. Even that 25 per cent of the supplies were being made at exorbitant prices, forcing them to sell it at the corresponding high price.

The reported price from the most part of the province ranges between Rs320 to Rs350 per 20kg bag. It changes from area to area and even shop to shop, taxing people’s nerves and valets.

On Tuesday, the department increased supplies to the local millers and brought them under moral pressure to sell all their flour in Lahore. It has promised to increase supply from current 1,200 tons to 1,500 tons a day. The total requirement of Lahore is 1,000 tons.

The department also promised to increase the quota of mills from Sheikhupura by 50 per cent on the promise they would supply 50 per cent of their quota to Lahore and 100 per cent of additional quota also to Lahore.—Staff Reporter