KARACHI: Sindh government has assured the flour mills for uninterrupted supply of wheat grains from next week to avoid the shortage of the commodity.

Flour millers in Karachi are on strike for an indefinite period from Wednesday due to the non-supply of wheat grains from the Sindh government.

Talking to Business Recorder, Chairman of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), Chaudhary Amir Abdullah informed the deadlock between Sindh government and flour mills has ended and officials from the Sindh government has contacted the association and requested to end the strike, however, flour millers have refused the request as mills have zero stock of wheat grains. “Secretary Food Raja Khurram Shehzad Umar and Director Food department Imdad Ali Shah have approached the PFMA and negotiations are in process to end the strike. Hopefully, we will reach a joint statement on Saturday (today),” he added.

Amir said that there is only one demand of uninterrupted supply of wheat grains to avoid the shortage in the country’s largest metropolitan city.

He informed that the Food department has released the wheat against the payment of Rs 5.5 billion and so far mills have wheat amounted to Rs 5 billion, while Rs 500 million are still with the Food department for wheat supply.

However, PFMA’s major demand is restoration of wheat supply from the interior Sindh so mills can procure wheat from the interior Sindh to meet the domestic demand. Currently wheat movement from interior Sindh to Karachi mills is almost halted due to 13 check posts at the several locations of the Sindh.

“As per our demand, the Food department has also assured to ease the wheat movement all over the Sindh to Karachi from next week,” he added.

The PFMA has called a general body meeting to discuss the proposals presented by the Sindh government and take a decision on strike, but this time agreement with the government will be documented, he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023