HYDERABAD: A meeting of the Atta Chakki Owners Social Welfare Association held here on Wednesday expressed concern over an unusual reduction in the wheat quota for Hyderabad district which, they warned, could lead to an artificial shortage of wheat and flour in the district.

The meeting observed that the last five months passed off without any shortage thanks to the food department’s policies but the decision to curtail wheat quota was bound to create a shortage.

The meeting, chaired by president of the association Hafeez Khanzada, noted that the department had now fixed 2.5 bags per stone/day for each chakki of the city for the month of February.

It said that the quota for the chakkis was already insufficient and the association had been demanding a raise to make it sufficient.

Surprisingly, it added, instead of increasing the quota, the department came out with a decrease.

“The decision has only benefited hoarders,” it said, pointing out that a wheat bag available in the market between Rs3,750 and Rs3,800 until a couple of days back was now selling at Rs3,900.

The association’s general secretary, Haroon Arain, told the meeting that Sindh food minister and other officials had already been apprised of the concern over a looming shortage. He said a cut in the city’s wheat quota would also affect consumers, and urged the minister to reverse the decision in order to avert an artificial flour shortage.

The meeting decided to work out a strategy on Thursday if the adequate quota was not restored.

The meeting also noted that after announcement about the cut in quota was made, the city’s chakki owners had not received challans from food department and ultimately chakkis had started closing down.

The meeting was attended by Imtiazuddin Abbasi, Mohammad Farooq, Hanif Rajput, Shahbaz Rajput, Noman Rasheed, Mohammad Javed Qureshi and others.