KARACHI: Flour millers have warned the Sindh government of a complete closure of mills in the next few days if wheat supplies from various districts of Sindh to Karachi are not fully restored.

The millers have been sending letters frequently to the provincial food department regarding interception of trailers carrying wheat from various districts of Sindh to the metropolis.

“Some eight to 10 mills have already closed down while others will follow suit after the grain gets dry,” Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) Sindh zone chairman Khalid Masood said.

“There is no need to go on a strike or closure of mills in protest as wheat shortage will itself lead to mills’ shutdown,” he said, adding that the government would be responsible if the mills were closed down.

Mr Masood said he had again apprised Sindh Food Secretary Laiq Ahmed on Monday that his previous directions to district food controllers for allowing trailers carrying wheat to Karachi from various districts had so far proved ineffective. The PFMA chief informed the food secretary that food department staffers continued to stop wheat transportation to Karachi forcibly besides demanding bribe while in some cases the commodity was being unloaded at the government godowns.

The secretary had assured the millers of strict action against the officer/officials found responsible for stopping wheat transportation to Karachi. However, so far no action had been taken against the officials, Mr Masood said.

“I have finally now asked Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday through a letter to remove hurdles in transportation of wheat to Karachi from interior Sindh and other issues relating to the bribe being taken by staff/officials for releasing wheat,” he said.

The PFMA chief said he urged the CM to issue directions for smooth flow of wheat to Karachi to avert any flour crisis in the city.

The Sindh government had banned purchase of wheat by private flour mills from Badin, Sujawal, Thatta and Mirpurkhas. However, lifting of wheat from other districts is allowed.

Hurdles in smooth flow of wheat to Karachi have resulted in price hike of wheat to Rs3,800-3,850 per 100kg bag from Rs3,500 last week. However, the millers had kept flour No. 2.5 and fine/maida flour prices unchanged at Rs42 and Rs44 per kg respectively.

The millers will continue buying wheat from the open market till September/October when the Sindh government will start allowing millers to lift wheat from the government at the rate of Rs1,400 per 40kg. The Sindh government in this season has decided to procure 1.4 million tonnes from the growers.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2020