CNews KARACHI: The shopkeepers here have stopped selling flours in order to avoid penalty for charging rate higher than the official one, while the utility stores, due to lingering power outage, are failing to arrange flour supply meeting the demand.Karachi Retail Grocers Association’s president, Muhammad Farid Quraishi told CNews News that the flourmills were supplying flour at Rs17.50 per kg, which could be sold in the retail market minimum at Rs18.00 to Rs18.50 per kg, but the government has fixed the price at Rs17.50, leaving no alternative for the retailers, but to stop selling flours, triggering acute shortage. They said that if the government fixes the ex-mill and retail prices, then the situation could improve.
On the other hand, Utility Stores’ Regional Manager, Kamal Mustafa said that the supply of 20,000 bags of 10 kg flour through the utility stores has been planned, but due to the disruption in power supply, flourmills appear to be unable to provide flour bags in the required quantity. He said that the flour at subsidized rate was being provided through four mobile units and 140 stores, where 10 kg flour bag was being sold at Rs130.
