PESHAWAR: Adviser to the chief minister on finance, Muzzammil Aslam, said on Tuesday that the provincial government would resume wheat procurement through cash this year to support farmers and strengthen strategic wheat reserves, ensuring that the commodity was made easily available to consumers during difficult times.

In a statement issued here, Aslam claimed that due to the provincial government’s timely measures, the wheat price had dropped from Rs13,500 to Rs9,000 per 100kg bag, which led to a reduction in flour rate.

He said the government released wheat stocks at a time when prices were rising across the country, while the Punjab government had ‘illegally’ restricted the supply of wheat and flour to his province.

Aslam said that, in compliance with the decision of the provincial cabinet, 136,000 metric tons of wheat was released at an average landed cost of Rs10,414 per 100kg, while ex-mill and retail flour prices were fixed at Rs2,190 per 20kg and Rs2,220 per 20kg, respectively.

“This intervention significantly stabilised the market, resulting in a 33 per cent decrease in wheat prices in Peshawar, from Rs13,650 to Rs9,100 per 100kg — and a 21pc reduction in flour prices (from Rs3,020 to Rs2,380 per 20kg),” he said.

Aslam said that this impact was stronger and more sustained than in other major cities of the country.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2026