Wheat and flour are very scarce and perhaps its shortage is unprecedented in the history of Pakistan. Even in Punjab that is called the food basket of Pakistan, harassed people are running from pillar to post but no easy flour is available. There is a blame game going on and the government is shifting responsibility to the millers for the existing shortage of flour. The government denies there is a shortage and has blamed smugglers and hoarders for worsening the problem.
It is really distressing to see old, weak people standing in queues just to get a flour bag but unfortunately in most cases, they don’t even get a chance to take a glimpse of flour. Government had ensured the nation that maximum supply of flour will be provided to them but that is not the case. God knows where the economic relief package of the coalition government has vanished.
The rising cost of wheat coupled with ongoing political instability in the country is causing a severe flour shortage in Pakistan. The ongoing energy shortages and hoarding of wheat are stated to be the main causes of the present worsening flour crisis in the country. Poor administration, high prices in international wheat market, role of speculators, and payment of subsidy and intervention in supply to the northern parts and interior villages of the country due to rains and snowfall are some other factors which fuelled the crisis. The load shedding has also affected the grinding of wheat in many parts of the country as most of the mills are not fully utilizing the capacity due to repeated power failure.
According to the WFP (World food program) stats, 38 per cent of Pakistanis are food insecure, and that basically means that they are not able to afford poverty line intake of 2,350 kcal per day. WFP also reveal that approximately 12.5 of wheat are wasted on way from field to the consumer whereas vegetable loss is 30 per cent.
So it is the need of hour that government should start working on war footings about extending the crop maximization plans to balance food price inflation and improvement in storage and harvesting-thrashing to control wastage of food. Government needs to understand that easy and cheap food availability, access and deliverance to everyone at everyplace is the key to their survival.
its a fact that there have been the serious crisis of sugar and flour but the fact is that these have been created for the benefits of the industrialists. the need is that we have to get the sense about this created problem and this can be done by giving the awareness to the general public.
ReplyDeleteas you have provided a good platform that can raise the sound of the public........
Due to lack of awareness and high rate of political instibility its very difficult to mange these crises.And our government officials are also not upto-date about the market information so it leads to the imperfect situation in country.
ReplyDeletelitteracy plays important role in solving d crises
ReplyDeleteYes I do agree with the above comment,a litterate person can understand the importance of saving water or other wise any person who is getting water in his home,using it or even wasting it we have to create awareness among them all.
ReplyDelete