FPCCI defends wheat imports
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FPCCI) urged the federal government on Thursday to avoid harassing the private sector for timely importing wheat to bridge the demand-supply gap. The FPCCI reacted to the government’s claim that the interim setup permitted the private sector to import wheat without a rational justification. The FPCCI supported the private sector’s actions. FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh has said that wheat support price should continue for the farmers as they need a support mechanism for the guaranteed sale of their crops. However, this financial burden should not be transferred to the people through expensive wheat flour. Saquib Fayyaz Magoon, FPCCI Senior Vice-President and a wheat expert, said thanks to timely imports, there had been no wheat or flour shortage in the past five or six months and that flour prices have been reduced due to adequate imports.