What is Ganja playing at. He said Atta would be half price, not that we would only have half the atta we need.

'Atta' has once more disappeared from many stores across Punjab. The shortage immediately pushed up prices Thursday, triggering a new sense of panic among people who have over the last four or five months struggled to buy the commodity at affordable rates. It has been reported the decision of the new government to raise the support price for wheat has led to millers slowing down the grinding process, in order to maximize profits as the new rate becomes applicable. There have also been allegations of hoarding for the same reasons, with the district administration in various cases acting against retailers found to be engaging in the practice. In some parts of the province, it has been alleged that attempts by local officials to control the delivery and sale of wheat flour caused further chaos and complicated the situation.

Regardless of what precise factors have contributed to the fresh 'atta' supply problems, there are some realities that are undisputed. Ordinary people are suffering most due to the shortfall, queues have once more begun to form at shops and the general sense of persisting insecurity over food has intensified. The flour supply situation and the various issues related to it need to be assessed carefully before any policy decision is announced, so that measures to counter any negative impact can be put in place. Whereas there is an immediate need to ensure 'atta' delivery to corner shops and stores across the country improves, there is also a need for longer-term planning. It has been reported that the current spell of unseasonal rains have hit wheat crops hard in Sindh and parts of Punjab. The potential impact of this needs to be assessed so that strategies can be devised for the coming months and the growing despair of people brought to an immediate end.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=105117

we need a certain amount of regulation in the agriculture industry. i think determination of the level of production should not be left up to individual producers but it should be decided by the govt. the govt should determine the major players in the supplier market and determine their share of production. action should be taken against any producer producing less than what the govt specifies for him, if he has the capacity. Another radical step which the govt can take is to become the sole intermediary in the market. the govt should buy all the wheat, sugar etc... from suppliers and sell it to retailers at a pre-determined price.

Aoa

I think we need to give the new Gvt more time...

w/salaam

After April crisis should ease due to harvesting but due to cheaper cost of atta here compared Afghanistan and India smuggling will happen.

In regards to PML N do not understand economics or are liars?

yes, i agree.

True and this is a problem many Pakistani politicians have suffered from, Pakistanis just don't have any patience whatsoever in general.

Wheat producers should be given incentives not to hoard up the supply to artificially increase price, or shot in the arse for resisting.

After 60 years of independence with the most fertile lands in the world there is wheat shortage and you are saying give it more time? Do you know whats the population of Pakistan 170 million! Compare that to the per capita wheat production.

Aoa



The current government has not been given 60 years to get things in order, our situation is bad, but lets be patient with the current government. Give them due time before pointing fingers and saying 'Aha! told ya so.' If you know what I mean.

w/salaam

No your right we havnt had the current goverment for 60 years but we Pakistanis have been re-electing the same bunch of bandits that keep stealing from our country.

That is the problem with Pakistan, everytime a new goverment comes they all start again, when in fact they should be building on the prevoius ones achievments thats why we dont progress. Wether we get new or not we should not have food shortage whats the difference between Pakistan and Iraq? Iraq has oil yet people que at pump stations for fuel and we have fertile lands of the Punjab yet people dont have wheat to eat! Atleast Iraq has the excuse of US invasion we Pakistanis cant even use that excuse.

Regulations must be made to ensure that production is kept at a necessary amount (to ensure that production of each food product at least meets the domestic needs). After those necessary amounts are met, then farmers can plant the rest of their fields with whatever they choose. Another problem with our farms, is that we have an extremely low production per acre ratio (for wheat at least). Other countries around the world produce 4 times as much wheat per acre as we do. If we can increase this ratio, we can easily overcome this 'crisis'.