ISLAMABAD: A meeting regarding the distribution of wheat from Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services Corporation (PASSCO) to flour mills of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was held under the chairmanship of National Food Security & Research Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar on Monday.
Provincial food secretaries of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, representatives of Punjab Food Department, PASSCO managing director and members of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) were present on the occasion.
Khusro Bakhtiar underscored the need for timely release and availability of wheat from PASSCO to Sindh & KP.
The meeting focused on the availability of wheat in the country and its pricing trends; release of wheat from PASSCO and its finical implications; viewpoint of PFMA on delayed release of wheat; transportation issues and distribution of wheat stock among flour mills of Sindh.
After detailed deliberations, it was unanimously agreed that PFMA would deliver the wheat flour at the ex-mill price of Rs43 per kg in Karachi.
The minister said that the memorandum of understanding between PASSCO and Sindh government for the release of 300,000 tonnes of wheat would be signed in the current week. He directed the officials concerned for the immediate release of 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Sindh.
The minister called for the constitution of a committee, comprising representatives from PASSCO, Sindh & KP food departments and PFMA, under the chairmanship of national food security secretary, to ensure smooth and timely distribution of wheat to provinces.
