TAXILA: Flour millers on Saturday accused the Rawalpindi Food Department of supplying substandard and contaminated wheat to the mills.

This was stated by office-bearers of Punjab Flour Mills Association (PFMA) and All Pakistan Flour Mills Association (APFMA) during a joint press conference.

The office-bearers claimed that over 23 flour mills in Taxila were being supplied with substandard wheat which was unfit for human consumption.

On the other hand, a spokesman for the food department rubbished the flour millers’ claim and said that they were being supplied wheat from Rawalpindi as well as other official godowns of the province. He said wheat was being supplied in the presence of representatives of the flour mills and if they deemed it poor in quality, they should not lift it.

The millers meanwhile claim that more than 200,000 sacks of wheat, which had apparently rotted in government storages and was judged unfit for human use, were forcefully distributed. They said that moisture in the wheat supply was between 15 to 20pc against the limit of 10 to 11pc.

The flour mill associations have warned of a flour crisis engulfing the region and affecting millions due to the wrong policies of the food department.

“Unfortunately, the district food department is continuously supplying expired wheat to flour mills, but higher authorities have not taken any action against the responsible officials,” alleged a PFMA office-bearer.

APFMA executive member Sheikh Mohammad Saeed said that contaminated and rotten wheat was reportedly being supplied by the Punjab food department from its reserves.

He said the wheat was infested by fungus due to exposure to moisture and was not fit for human consumption, claiming that the mills were being forced to lift the wheat by the food department officials. The wheat stocks were not only rotten but the bags were also mixed with sand.

He said the food department highups had been informed about the supply of contaminated wheat to the mills but nothing had so far been done.

Mr Saeed said 20-25pc wheat grain in every bag was rotten and if it was grinded and supplied in the market, it would cause stomach diseases among consumers.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2024

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