LAHORE, Sept 5: The Punjab government on Friday moved to control flour crisis by increasing wheat release quota and letting mills give 40 per cent of their grinding to dealers and retailers.The Food Department increased daily release from 12,500 tons to 15,000 tons, and decided to take only 60 per cent of flour to official sale points set up by the city district government. The millers also issued press statements, pledging smooth supply of flour to the market.

However, the ground realities continued contradicting the rosy picture painted by the millers, city district government and the Punjab Food department.

“Theoretically, the millers and the district government have allowed flour sale rough normal channels, but practically it has not happened so far,” says Rao Akram Khan of Lahore Karyana (retailers) Merchant.

“We demand supply at 10 shops of our officer-bearers, with a personal pledge to maintain supply at the official rate. But, the DDR concerned has not been able to get us the supply even after 48 hours. If the association cannot get the supply, no one knows how much other shopkeepers will be getting it,” he wondered.

The 60-40 ratio cannot solve the supply crisis, thinks a city trader. “The government needs to increase Lahore quota by at least 3,000 tons a day and do so for at least a week. The supply situation will ease when the government brings some kind of certainty in the supply chain.”