2,000 tons of wheat released daily to flour mills: KP food dept

DLP Report PESHAWAR The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has continued supplying flour at the notified rate across the province, with more than 315,000 bags distributed among consumers during the past week. According to figures released by the Food Department, 2,000 tons of wheat is being released daily to flour mills from the provincial strategic reserve, while 20,000 100kg wheat bags are supplied each day to active flour mills in different districts. A 20kg bag of flour is being provided to consumers through registered and nominated dealers at the official price of Rs2,520. The department said 315,534 bags were supplied through 1,771 active dealers across the province during the last week. The divisional breakdown showed that 69,446 bags were distributed in Peshawar, 41,452 in Mardan, 78,122 in Malakand, 65,400 in Hazara, 11,660 in Bannu, 32,094 in Dera Ismail Khan and 17,360 in Kohat divisions. Officials said teams of the Food Department and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority were regularly monitoring the quality of wheat and flour. Strict action would be taken against flour mills found supplying substandard flour, they added. Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Food Dr Muhammad Israr Khan urged consumers to remain vigilant about flour quality and report cases of substandard flour to the relevant authorities. He said the government quota of any flour mill found involved in supplying substandard flour would be cancelled, besides legal action against those responsible. Dr Israr said the provincial government was taking all possible measures to ensure the availability of quality flour to consumers at the notified rate. He also criticised the Punjab government's restrictions on the inter-provincial movement and trade of wheat and flour, saying the measures were adversely affecting flour prices across the country.