KP asked to review wheat situation to avoid shortages

Published August 18, 2020
It was reported that KP’s districts bordering Punjab had always been receiving about 60 per cent of wheat and wheat flour from Punjab. — File
It was reported that KP’s districts bordering Punjab had always been receiving about 60 per cent of wheat and wheat flour from Punjab. — File

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to keep a watch on wheat prices in adjoining areas of Afghanistan and engage with Punjab government to assess true requirement for further imports.

Presiding over a meeting with KP government on wheat situation, Adviser to the PM on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said the government will take all out measures to ensure availability of sufficient wheat and flour to the masses throughout the year.

The meeting reviewed in detail the situation, availability and future demand of wheat and flour in the KP province, an official statement said. The meeting was also attended by Adviser to PM on Commerce, Textile and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, KP Finance Minister Taimur Saleem Jhagra, KP Chief Secretary Dr Kazim Niaz, Secretary Finance Naveed Kamran Baloch, National Food Security & Research Secretary Omar Hamid Khan.

The meeting was told that Punjab could also face wheat shortage unless close monitoring was ensured in other provinces. Dr Shaikh told the meeting that he would also discuss the wheat situation with Punjab government to extend maximum support to KP government while Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Service Corporation (Passco) was already helping out KP.

It was reported that KP’s districts bordering Punjab had always been receiving about 60 per cent of wheat and wheat flour from Punjab and this traditional route had to be maintained and there should not be any restriction on movement of wheat or flour in these areas. The meeting was told that chakki atta from Punjab to KP’s border areas was going on but bulk supplies faced disruptions.

KP Chief Secretary Dr. Kazim Niaz told the meeting that the provincial government had about 0.6 million tonnes of wheat stocks while it had recently procured 100,000 tonnes from Passco and procurement of another 100,000 was in process.

Published in Dawn, August 18th, 2020

Follow Dawn Business on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for insights on business, finance and tech from Pakistan and across the world.

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.