ISLAMABAD, June 1: The prevailing Atta (wheat flour) crisis has aggravated in Islamabad, as only two day’s stock of wheat is available with local flour mills, Dawn learnt on Sunday.

It has been observed that Atta, specially the 20kg bag, is not available in most of the markets in the federal capital and people have started purchasing wheat and grinding it at private mills established in different commercial areas.

The wheat price fixed by the government is Rs625 per maund (40kg) but the commodity is selling at Rs700 to Rs750 per maund.

The federal capital is not an agriculture city and meets local demand of fruits and vegetables through their supply from other cities.

In some of its rural areas, people grow wheat but the quantity cannot cater to the demand of all 29 flour mills in the city. As a result, owners of local flour mills purchase wheat from the Punjab Food Department or privately from different cities.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Islamabad Amir Ali said owners of flour mills had been demanding increase in wheat flour price, especially 20kg bags, and asking the Punjab Food Department to fix the official rate of the 20kg bag of Atta at Rs400.

At present, the rate of the 20kg bag of Atta is fixed at Rs375 but it is not available in the local market.

The official revealed that only two-day’s stock of wheat was available with the local flour mills after which they would stop further grinding unless they were allowed to sell 20 kg bag of Atta at Rs400.

According to the Flour Mills Owners Association, it has become difficult for them to privately purchase wheat at a cost of Rs750 per maund and sell the 20 kg bag of Atta at Rs375.

It is pertinent to mention that after coming to power, the coalition government raised the wheat support price by Rs100 (from Rs525 to Rs625) to support farmers. Before this increase, the rate of 20 kg bag of Atta was Rs275 and now its official price is Rs375. People have already opposed this increase but the mill owners are hell-bent on increasing it further.

There are reports that where available, the 20 kg bag of Atta is selling at Rs400 to Rs450 in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.