Rejecting the population-based wheat release policy of the food department as ‘vague’ , flour millers in Punjab have threatened not to lift their respective grain quota from the department’s storages for five days in, what may be called, the first phase of their protest.
Millers have said that the new policy not only reduced their grinding charges from Rs600 to Rs400 per 100kg wheat but also changed flour by-products extraction ratio which, he feared, might cause shortage of fine (maida) brand of flour in the market.
According to a report by Dawn, the protest call may lead to panic buying in the market, widening the resultant demand and supply gap which may lead to a flour shortage crisis.
“The population-based wheat release policy announced the other day is vague, causing unrest among the industry, Punjab Flour Mills Association chairman Asim Raza told a press conference here on Monday.
“An emergency meeting of over 300 millers here today expressed its reservations at the policy and decided neither to enter into agreement with the provincial government (on supply of flour) nor lift wheat from food department storages for five days for not taking into confidence the major stakeholder in the wheat market.”
Responding to a query, he said they would decide the next phase of their protest, which included closure of the mills, if the government didn’t revisit the policy within five days.
