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Export of wheat intensifies crisis across Pakistan

Export of wheat intensifies crisis across Pakistan
January 20, 2020
LAHORE (92 News) – Delay of ban on wheat exports became a major factor who intensified the crisis across Pakistan. 92 News traced the reason that why wheat crisis unfolded across Pakistan. Due to crisis, wheat prices across the country have sky rocketed over the past few days. The sources said that delay of ban on the export of wheat is major factor but the smuggling of wheat in Iran and Afghanistan is also cause of wheat crisis all over the country. In this whole situation, profiteers and hoarders started exploiting the situation and allegedly plunged into secret stock piling of wheat to increase prices. The wheat crisis started from Sindh and spread all over the country. The wheat was exported at the price of Rs30 per KG but now it has to import in the price of Rs60 per Kg. Meanwhile, the 40 billion rupees expenses have to bear on the monthly basis. Earlier in a meeting, when the government had already banned on the export of wheat and flour, the prime minister was informed that the exports of wheat-esqe commodities was still going on to Afghanistan, and in this guise, wheat, flour exports were also underway. It was also reported that the problem was unfolded by a decision to export 200,000 to 400,000 tons of wheat, keeping in view surplus stocks on the basis of estimates presented by Ministry of National Food Security and Research, but the actual exports of wheat crossed 640,000 tons. On the other hand, the Sindh government held the prime minister responsible for the situation, saying he allowed export of surplus wheat. A day earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the flour shortage will not be tolerated in the province. Talking to the media on Sunday, he said that he would continue to monitor the flour situation by visiting different cities. “The wheat and flour situation is better in Punjab. We have increased the flour supply. I am present in the field and knows about the ground realities,” he said. The chief minister said that he would not allow anyone to do injustice with the people. The chief minister had visited Syedwala to attend the funeral of the mother of his Personal Staff Officer Haider Ali. After attending the funeral, he visited Jaranwala and visited a flour sale point. He suspended Assistant Food Control Jamil Gujjar on the complaint of the flour shortage. Later, he visited Jaranwala City police station and talked to people detained there. The arrested people complained about the police officers. At this, he suspended the City SHO.