Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research Khusro Bakhtiar has said that prices and artificial shortage of wheat and flour will come down soon due to the government's effective measures.

Addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Sunday, he said the government is taking concrete steps to control rising prices of wheat and flour in the country.

The Minister assured that effective steps are being taken to stop smuggling of flour from the country as smuggling of 40 thousand tons wheat to Afghanistan from Chaman Border has been stopped.

He said that the government has fixed the price of the wheat 1365 rupees per 40 kg and it has set purchase target of 2.7 million ton wheat next year.

Khusro Bakhtiyar said that Sindh province is witnessing shortage of flour due to its own policies and failure in timely procuring the consignment provided by Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO).

He said nine thousand tons wheat has been sent to Karachi yesterday and government is ready to provide additional flour up to one hundred thousand tons to the Sindh province.

The Minister said additional four to five thousand tons wheat will be supplied to Khyber Pakhunkhwa province.

He said that there is no shortage of wheat in Punjab as it has adequate reserve of wheat.

NNR/Alina/Ahsan