ISLAMABAD: The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) on Monday directed the Food Ministry to release wheat to Utility Stores Corporation.

The committee further directed additional quota of wheat to be provided to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government.

The meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh. Industries Minister Hammad Azhar, Special Assistant on Revenue Dr. Waqar Masood, and relevant secretaries attended the meeting.

The quantity of wheat that would be released to the USC immediately would be in the range of 8,000-10,000 metric tonnes. The USC informed the meeting that its wheat stocks were running dry. The finance minister approved provision of wheat to the USC.

The NPMC also asked the MNFSR to release an additional quota of wheat to the AJK government which has demanded an additional quantity of 10,000 metric tonnes of wheat. Directives have been issued to Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation to release the required quota of wheat.

Industries and Production Ministry representatives briefed that the slight increase in the price of vegetable ghee is due to spike in international prices of palm oil. Dr Shaikh directed the ministry to look into upward pricing trends in the international market and take necessary steps to minimise the impact on domestic prices.

The NPMC reviewed the availability of essential commodities: wheat, flour, sugar, tomatoes, onions, vegetable ghee and chicken. The finance ministry apprised NPMC that there has been a consistent decline in prices of these items for the last three weeks.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2020