Punjab bans wheat smuggling to KP, flour millers criticize

RAWALPINDI: Punjab government has issued a notification to take steps to curb smuggling of wheat to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Provincial secretary food has directed for establishing check posts on main highways and handing over responsibility to eligible officers to prevent smuggling.

Meanwhile, the Flour Mills Association sources said that thousands of trucks have been parked outside warehouses in KP. ” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has placed demand for supply of three Lac tonnes of wheat,” sources said.

Flour Mills Association sources said that the KP government purchasing wheat at the price of Rs. 3,900 per maund. “The wheat being sold between 2,800 to 3,000 rupees per maund in the open market in Punjab,” sources said.

“The government creating more difficulties for farmers by imposing restrictions,” sources added.

It is to be mentioned here that delay in the government’s wheat procurement drive in Punjab has caught the growers off guard, which have produced bumper crop of wheat in this season. The farmers have been forced to sell the wheat at the price down to the government fixed price.

Recently Adviser Finance KP Muzammil Aslam had announce that the provincial government has also started wheat procurement from Punjab’s farmers.

Talking to ARY News KP adviser said that his government has decided to include Punjab’s farmers in its procurement drive of three Lac tonnes of wheat at the rate of Rs 3,900 per maund.