ISLAMABAD           -        Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has appealed to the government to resolve the wheat supply issue of the flour mills of Islamabad region as any delay in this matter would create shortage of the commodity in the region.

In a statement, ICCI President Muhammad Ahmed Waheed said that a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan had decided to lift the ban on inter-district and inter-provincial movement of wheat. He said that the official target for procurement of wheat in Punjab was 4.6 million tonnes, but so far 400,000 tonnes of wheat has been procured as the government rate for procurement of wheat is Rs1400 per 40 Kg while the private rate is procuring wheat at Rs1950 per 40 Kg, why the farmers prefer to sell wheat to the private sector.

He said that like every year, flour mills procure wheat from middlemen while the government quota was only for 100 tonnes which is not enough.

The ICCI president appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan and Punjab Food minister to intervene and issue necessary orders for ensuring the uninterrupted wheat supply to the flour mills of Islamabad.

He also appealed to the Chief Commissioner Islamabad Amir Ali Ahmed and Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqat to help in addressing the wheat supply issue of flour mills of Islamabad.