The Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) has condemned the Punjab government's continued ban on inter-provincial wheat movement, stating it has significantly increased flour prices, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The ban, in place for a second consecutive year despite Punjab's wheat surplus, has fueled illegal movement and smuggling, with bribes at check posts inflating costs.
PFMA officials highlighted that the restriction is illegal, causes food insecurity, and contradicts the federal government's commitment to the IMF for a free wheat market. The situation has also disrupted supplies to flour mills in Sindh, threatening flour availability in Karachi and upper Sindh within days.
This demand-and-supply driven crisis, exacerbated by the ban, is directly contributing to nationwide inflation, with flour prices notably higher in KP, Sindh, and Balochistan compared to Punjab. Continued food inflation and economic instability could put further pressure on the Pakistani Rupee against the US Dollar and potentially increase demand for gold as a hedge.
بحوالہ / Source: www.brecorder.com