Pakistan Flour Mills Association (Punjab) Chairman Habib-ur-Rehman Leghari has said that an increase of Rs5 per 20 kilograms flour bag is inevitable because of increase in petroleum products prices and other expenses of the flour-milling industry. He also urged the provincial government to immediately announce price on which wheat will be released to the flour mills so that the millers could calculate their expenses in line with the wheat prices.
Leghari was addressing the executive body meeting of the Association here on Wednesday. Group Leader Asim Raza Ahmad, Mian Riaz, Liaquat Ali Khan and Chaudhry Iftikhar Mattoo also spoke on this occasion and tried to justify the increase in flour bag price.
Leghari said the wheat procurement is about to begin in the province but the government has yet not announced issue price. He also called for announcing a policy for private persons who intend to buy wheat besides price to be paid to the growers and prices which flour millers have to pay to the government to buy grains from its godowns.
Group leader Asim Raza Ahmad on this occasion urged the executive body members to hold meetings with flour millers of their respective region and personally monitor wheat procurement process to ensure transparency. He urged them to discourage any corruption or injustice with the growers and update PFMA leadership on any such wrong-doing.
He said procurement this year will be done during Ramadan so if grinding charges are paid to millers, they can help the government to prepare flour bags for Ramadan bazaars. Others also urged the government to immediately ensure payment of refund claims of the growers stuck for the last many years so mills can also participate in procurement drive and help stabilize the rates in favour of growers.