South Asian Business news and information

In the month of Ramadan, Pakistan government is facing serious crisis from the shortage of flour. The price of flour is very high in the open market. As the price is a bit lower in the utility store corporation shops, every day, large crowd of people are gathering up in these shops but they have failed to keep up with the demand of the people. 

Daily Times reports: 

    One of the reasons for high demand for flour at all outlets of the USC is the         price difference; as the commodity is being sold for Rs 13 per kg as compared     to its open market price of Rs 20 to Rs 22 per kg, indicating a clear difference     of Rs 7 to Rs 9 per kg.

    “This price difference is pulling crowds of people to stores of the corporation,”     claimed an official at a USC outlet situated at Pakistan Quarters, close to             Zoological Garden when Daily Times inquired about reasons for exhaustion of         flour stocks.
 

The Daily Times Editorial points out two major reasons behind this price hike. Number one, large amount of wheat being smuggled out of Pakistan and people’s eating habit. Pakistani wheat has huge demand in Russia and Central Asian countries. Number two, during Ramadan, people take lot of food during Iftaar. It is like an eating festival. Such habit is also another reason of which the traders and shopkeepers take advantage.

I live in Bangladesh which is also a Muslim country and during the month of Ramadan our country also faces same problem. Price of food items go sky high which becomes a major headache for middle class and lower middle class families. In addition, there is this habit of consuming huge amount of food in Iftaar.

This whole situation is like a vicious circle. One isolated incident is not responsible for this. Along with government the people also have to be conscious. Only then, this problem can be solved.

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Daily Times

Daily Times