ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Khusro Bakhtiar has directed for the immediate release of 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Sindh from Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) stock.
A meeting regarding wheat distribution from PASSCO to flour mills of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was held under the chairmanship of the federal minister. The federal minister stressed at the timely release and availability of wheat from PASSCO to Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The federal minister said that MoU between PASSCO and Government of Sindh for the release of 300,000 tonnes of wheat would be signed in the current week. He directed for the immediate release of 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Sindh.
Provincial food secretaries of Sindh and KP, representatives of Punjab food department, Managing Director PASSCO, representatives of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA), and senior officials of the ministry were present in the meeting.
The meeting focused on the availability of wheat in the country and its pricing trends, releases of wheat from PASSCO and its financial implications, viewpoint of PFMA on the issue of delayed wheat release, transportation issues and distribution of wheat stock among flour mills of Sindh.
After detailed deliberations, it was unanimously agreed that PFMA will deliver the wheat flour at ex-mill price of Rs43 per kilogram in Karachi. The release of wheat to Sindh would start today.
It is pertinent to mention that there is no issue with the stocks released from PASSCO to provincial food departments of Sindh and KP.
The federal minister formed a committee comprising representatives from PASSCO, food departments of Sindh and KP, and PFMA chaired by federal secretary of the Ministry of Food Security to ensure smooth and timely distribution of wheat to provinces.
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