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Contradiction

KARACHI: A spokesman of Food Department, Government of Sindh has contradicted a news item appeared in some section of the press stating that the Department has raised the price of wheat from Rs 625 to Rs 675 per 100 kg.

The spokesman stating the factual position said that the issue price of wheat by the department till recently was Rs 650 per 100 kg without bardana. There was no such price of Rs 625 per 100 kg ever prevailing in the Department, he added.

He however clarified that the department is getting imported wheat at Rs 826 per bag of 100 kg from the Federal Government, which was issued to Flour Mills at Rs 700 per 100 kg bag, (with bardana) and balance amount picked-up as subsidy. In order to have economy, the department had decided not to purchase new jute bags for coming wheat procurement season and retrieve the jute bags of imported wheat, thus anticipated savings of Rs 330.00 million shall be made. He further opined that it was decided to charge Rs 25 for each used bardana retrieved, while a bag's value was prior to this arrangement, was being kept by flour mills. Since used bag price is Rs 25-30 in the open market. It is an arrangement which should not add to ex-mill price of Rs 8.50 per kg promised by former office bearers of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (Sindh Chapter) and senior representatives. However, in the holy month of Ramzan, Rs 650 per 100 kg of wheat was charged from the Flour Mills, for the betterment of lower tiers of the society, he added.