Sindh CM orders action against hoarders, profiteers

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired a meeting of the Food Department in Karachi, where the province’s wheat production, available stocks, supply situation, and future requirements were reviewed.

The Sindh CM directed authorities to launch a strict crackdown against hoarders and profiteers and ensure uninterrupted availability of wheat and flour at reasonable prices.

During the meeting, officials briefed the participants on current wheat and flour prices. The briefing revealed that more than 172,000 metric tonnes of concealed wheat had been recovered from various flour mills, which has helped improve wheat availability in the market and stabilise flour prices.

Officials informed the meeting that approximately 2.24 million metric tonnes of wheat stocks are currently available in the province. Around 1.23 million metric tonnes of wheat are present within the supply chain, according to the Food Department.

However, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed concern over the unaccounted stock of around 610,000 metric tonnes of wheat and directed officials to address the issue.

CM Murad Ali Shah stated that Sindh would face a wheat shortfall of approximately 1.89 million metric tonnes and emphasised the need to ensure additional supplies to meet future requirements. He also directed that the shortage of 2.11 million metric tonnes be covered through additional wheat arrangements.

The Food Department proposed purchasing more wheat from the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO) to overcome the expected shortage.

The Sindh Chief Minister said there is currently no immediate shortage of wheat in the province but instructed officials to accelerate action against hoarders, closely monitor market prices, and prevent the creation of any artificial shortage