ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called for improving the storage system to make it self-sufficient in food, especially wheat.
Speaking at an event here, on Monday, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, president ICCI urged the government to provide interest-free loans to flour mill owners to improve storage system, saying annually millions of grains including wheat, rice and others are wasted due to lack of proper storage system which forced the government to spend millions of dollars on wheat import to meet the country's needs.
Access to cheap and quality flour to citizens is a joint responsibility of the Food Department and flour mills. Pakistan has produced over 27 million tons of wheat this year, which is a record, due to the Prime Minister’s Kisan Package. The government and related institutions should ensure timely measures to deliver the fruits of the best harvest to the industry and the people.
He said that Pakistan is primarily an agricultural country, it is very worrying that we have to import food every year to meet our requirements, which consumes huge national capital. Pakistan's farmers and industry have all the capabilities to make us self-sufficient in food. He said that the Food Department in collaboration with the flour mills industry should take such steps to ensure that we do not have to install cheap flour points.
He said that Punjab Food Department has rendered valuable services for the improvement of the system of the department in Rawalpindi and Islamabad division and dutifully implemented the policy of equality and treated all flour mill owners equally which is commendable.
He said that the flour mill owners of Islamabad have full faith government’s policy of equality and inclusiveness of all stakeholders.
Speaking on this occasion, Deputy Director Food Department Pindi Division Meher Ghulam Abbas said that the major task of his department is the implementation of government policy. As a regulator, the Food Department has tried its best to ensure the procurement of wheat, elimination of smuggling and distribution of subsidy.
Every member of the flour mills industry is satisfied with Punjab Food Department’s performance, he said that both the food department and the flour mills industry have the same goal to stabilise the prices of flour and not create any crisis. He said, “With joint efforts, we have succeeded in achieving our targets so far and will continue in future”. He ensured the stakeholders of ensuring the resolution of the problems with mutual understanding and joint efforts by sitting with the stakeholders. He said that this year, Rawalpindi Division has achieved a historic record of wheat procurement, the effects of which will be seen in the market for the next one year.
Talking on this occasion, Vice President ICCI Engineer Azhar Islam said that Food Department is the most important government institution, Islamabad Chamber will make efforts to solve the problems together with them.
Secretary General United Business Group Zafar Bakhtawari said that the steps taken by the Food Department to reduce the shortage of flour are commendable.
Pakistan's wheat production can be further improved by taking some basic steps. He said that like sugar mill owners, flour mill owners should also provide facilities to the farmers. The government, business community and related institutions should form a comprehensive policy to improve the wheat storage system.
On this occasion, Vice President Engineer Azhar Islam, Secretary General UBG Zafar Bakhtawari, former Senior Vice President Chaudhry Mukhtar, District Food Controller Muhammad Zaman, and members of the Executive Committee were also present.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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