KARACHI: Two cargo ships carrying 300,000 tonnes of wheat from Russia, the first shipment, arrived at Port Qasim on Monday as the government struggles to bridge the country’s supply-demand gap.
According to the Ministry of Food Security, out of the total 700,000 tonnes of Russian wheat, the remaining 400,000 tonnes will reach Gwadar port by March 30.
The arrival of Russian wheat is expected to ease the country’s ongoing flour crisis as rising inflation and deteriorating economic conditions have recently sent flour prices through the roof.
Across Pakistan, the price of flour has reached Rs 130 per kg, fine flour has reached Rs 150 per kg, while milled flour is selling at Rs 160 per kg in some places.
Supply of subsidized 10-20 kg bags of flour is in short supply across the country, while dual prices of the grain have given rise to black markets.
In Sindh and Balochistan, the price of flour has reached Rs 150 per kg, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), a 20 kg bag of flour is being sold at a record price of Rs 3,000 per bag. Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir and Jammu and Kashmir flour prices are reportedly high.
Deteriorating macroeconomic situation, dwindling foreign exchange reserves and destruction of wheat crops in floods have exacerbated the flour crisis in Pakistan.
A stampede at flour selling points
People are struggling to get a bag of daily necessities and there have been reports of stampedes at sale points in many parts of the country as people try to get bags of subsidized flour.
Last week, JEE News reported the death of a farmer in a stampede during the sale of subsidized flour in Mirpurkhas.
Several people were injured in similar incidents in Badin and Shaheed Benazirabad, which were followed by protests. According to the details, hundreds of people gathered to buy a 10 kg bag of flour at a cheap price of Rs 65 from the sale point in Mirpurkhas.
The rush led to another stampede and eventually 37-year-old Harsingh alias Gulhi Bhil died. He was the father of seven children including six daughters.
Similarly, in Tando Bagu area of Badin district, many people including two women were injured when the crowd gathered to buy flour at cheap prices.
Three women were injured in a stampede while buying subsidized flour from a makeshift shop in Skarund area of Shaheed Benazirabad. After this, people protested on the streets in various districts against the sharp increase in the prices of flour and other essential commodities.
