KARACHI (March 13 2004): While the Federal Food and Agriculture Minister and officials of the Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) as also the officials of the Sindh Government are claiming that the wheat crisis has been overcome, the prices of 'Atta' remain very high and almost unaffordable for the poor people, specially in Sindh province, reports UPP correspondent.

Most political and economic observers in the city agree that the government measures taken so far to alleviate the crisis being faced by the poor people in getting 'atta' at government rate are just not there on the ground.

Most of the elected councillors in Karachi feel that the Sindh and Federal governments should immediately act by selling through mobile sale shops, possibly mobile container loads carried on NLC containers in the Karachi city for sale of 'atta' at Rs 11.50 per kilogram.

Most of the councillors of Karachi City Government fear that the profiteers and the black marketeers are going to fleece the poor in the city and all other towns of Sindh province till such time that the new wheat crop comes in the market.

They fear that the big millowners and stockists, who have stored up 'atta' for sale in black market would succeed in their nefarious designs of fleecing the public unless the government moves quickly and immediately opens mobile 'atta' sale shops on NLC containers positioned at main crossings and localities of the city specially in areas where the poor live.

Most of the councillors feel that the situation of high profiteering and black-marketing in 'atta' cannot be controlled by statements from officials of new wheat crop reaching the market. Actual sale of 'atta' at the poor areas in the city through NLC containers mobile 'shops' by the government would force the hoarders to bring out the stock of 'atta' and sell these at the rate of 11.50 per kilogram to the poor people.

It is also pointed out by agricultural experts that the wheat crop is harvested in Sindh province from the middle of March in lower districts of Sindh going up to the month of April end for Upper Sindh areas followed by harvesting of wheat in most areas of the Punjab and NWFP in May and June. Keeping the wheat crop harvesting cycle, the immediate shortage in Sindh could best be overcome by selling through mobile shops, best located on NLC containers, in different areas of cities and towns of Sindh immediately, 'atta' at government rates.

Courtesy Business Recorder