Govt adopt all steps to ensure wheat supply at affordable prices: Ministry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research Omer Hamid Khan has said the private wheat importers would be given priority in order to keep local demand and supply smooth and providing it at affordable prices.

While chairing a meeting on wheat import he said that the imported wheat would be exempted from the Anti-Hoarding Act imposed by the provincial governments on producing verified import records by the importers.

The meeting was attended by wheat importers, representatives from the Ministry for National Food Security and Research, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, FBR and Finance Division.

Besides, it would also notify the waiver of withholding tax to facilitate the importers, said Omer Hamid. He was of the view that legitimate concerns of importers would be solved at the earliest.

Omer Hamid mentioned that the ministry was working under the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan for ensuring an uninterrupted supply of the commodity across the country.

The ministry would help wheat importers at all levels so that ultimately the public could get wheat at an affordable price, he remarked.

The ministry was facilitating wheat importers by helping them in priority berthing, storage, multiple ports and clearances on the landing of shipment.

He said taxes and duties had already been abolished by the federal government including, Regulatory Duty 60 percent, Custom Duty 11 percent, Sales Tax 17 percent and Withholding Tax 06 percent.