FFC urges ministry to decide wheat support price
By Mona Khan

ISLAMABAD—Federal Food Committee (FFC) has directed ministry for food to decide about the support price of wheat soon.
"Ministry for food has been directed to decide about the support price of wheat as soon as possible and to start purchasing wheat ahead of private sector with the commencement of wheat harvesting season to meet its wheat procurement target of 7000000 tones", this was told by Lt Gen (Retd) Farooq Ahmad Khan chairman Federal Food Committee and National Disaster Management Authority during his press briefing here Friday.
He told flour mills are producing atta cent percent against the wheat quota being provided by government. Despite this fact, flour price is higher in some areas, he added. Provincial governments were holding talks with All Pakistan Flour Mills Association in this connection. PASCO has been directed to purchase wheat available with private sector so that government does not go to import wheat in order to save foreign exchange, he added.
On the reports of sale of substandard atta, samples have been collected from various mills from across the country and sent to laboratories for tests, he pointed out.
He indicated the wheat quota of 21 mills which had failed to lift it had been allotted to other mills. Quota of 2 mills has been suspended due to their failure in lifting their quota and show cause notices have been issued to 28 mills, he added.
Wheat deficit provinces have been directed to provide details about their requirement to secretary food Punjab till February, 15 so that Punjab government could procure wheat from farmers according to this requirement, he informed. Balochistan government will provide 2000 tones wheat quota to flour mills on daily basis, he added.