Wheat availability reviewed

A meeting held here on Thursday with the secretary food, agriculture and livestock in chair reviewed the wheat availability, stock, supply and price position in the country. The meeting, which was convened on the directives of Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz was attended by the additional secretary, food, secretaries of the provinces, representatives of NLC, railways, Passco and TCP. The position of availability and supply of wheat was found to be satisfactory.
The meeting was informed that the public sector godowns and Passco, for release to the flourmills have more than 2.7 million tons wheat in stock that will be further augmented after importing wheat of one million tons.
The meeting was also informed that 0.3 million tons has already been dispatched to the NWFP, Balochistan and Sindh, whereas 0.5 million tons more wheat was being imported.
Releases to the flourmills, 165,000 tons and 400,000 tons a month by Sindh and Punjab government was also found satisfactory. Moreover, Punjab is also sending 6,000 MT of wheat flour every day or 180,000 MT a month to other parts of country to maintain prices. On the position of prices of wheat and Atta, the meeting discussed ways and means to bring prices bit lower. It was decided that release to the flourmills should be enhanced.
The private sector traders are holding 0.6 million tons stock pledged with the bank, which is expected to be released this month. The private sector has additional wheat for consumption, trading and seed purposes.
On transportation of imported wheat, it was observed that it was on schedule, as the railways assured to provide 240 wagons each day for transportation of imported wheat to NWFP and Balochistan.
Sindh was transporting 4,000 tons wheat daily through NLC trucks. All the provinces have expedited lift of wheat to improve supply position. The transportation will further improve after Ramazan.
Sindh is satisfied with the stock in government godowns at over 665,000 MT, Punjab has 2.1 million MT and after getting share from the imported wheat to have 2.3 million MT for the remaining months till next crop, and NWFP will have 0.4 million MT in the public sector.