LAHORE (January 28 2004): Punjab will provide 50,000 tonnes of wheat to Sindh before Eid-ul-Azha, said Provincial Food Ministers Chaudhry Mohammad Iqbal here on Tuesday.

Talking to newsmen, he said that lifting of wheat for this purpose had been started in the South Punjab districts and added that despatch of the cereal would start soon.

He said that another 50,000 tonnes of wheat would be provided to Sindh after Eid-ul-Azha, Iqbal said that a vessel carrying imported wheat would reach Karachi port by February 15 to help overcome the wheat shortage in Sindh province.

He said that there were ample wheat stocks in the Punjab province to meet food needs of the people by the arrival of new crop in April.

Moreover, he said that the wheat releases to province's flour mills had been increased to 18,000 tonnes per day from (today) Tuesday and added that the increased releases would continue till February 11.

He said that the prices of the fruit, vegetables and other daily use commodities were stable in the province.

He said that new fruit and vegetable markets were being developed in Lahore and Rawalpindi to ensure smooth supply of daily use commodities to the people.

Courtesy Business Recorder