Govt Admits Old Imported Wheat is Poor Quality

Punjab's food safety and consumer protection department has halted the supply of old imported wheat to flour mills over quality reservations, directing mills to lift only locally procured wheat until a final decision is produced.

Key points

• Stakeholders have additionally triggered concern concerning locally procured wheat stored in Punjab for two to three years in gunny bags and on open plinths.
• In a directive issued on Thursday, the department remarked the lifting of old imported wheat had been ceased due to quality reservations.
• The move comes months after flour millers triggered concern regarding the quality of imported wheat being issued from administration warehouses.
• The department's latest directive marks a shift from its earlier position.
• Millers had documented discolored and shriveled grains, insect infestation, and feasible fungal expansion.

In a directive issued on Thursday, the department remarked the lifting of old imported wheat had been ceased due to quality reservations. It continued that the decision regarding imported wheat was pending and would be communicated once finalized.

Notably, the move comes months after flour millers triggered concern regarding the quality of imported wheat being issued from administration warehouses. Stakeholders remarked the suspension effectively acknowledges that the old stock may not be suitable for milling, raising questions concerning earlier assessments that allowed its distribution to continue. Imported Wheat Ship Arrives in Karachi. Flour Millers Had Raised Quality Reservations.

For context, the department's latest directive marks a shift from its earlier position. While distribution continued, when flour mill owners represented by the Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) triggered concern a number of months ago, the department stated it would take up the matter with the federal administration.

Millers had documented discolored and shriveled grains, insect infestation, and feasible fungal expansion. At the time, the department maintained that the wheat was within permissible limits and that the complaints were not backed by its assessments.

In practice, the latest decision has prompted questions regarding the basis of those earlier assessments and why the department changed its position after continuing to release the stock for months.

According to millers, imported wheat procured a number of years ago and stored in open and covered warehouses had deteriorated in appearance, gluten strength, and nutritional value. They remarked flour produced from the grain was darker, had poor binding properties, and carried an unpleasant smell. Bad News for Pakistan's Cotton: World Bank Sounds the Alarm.

Millers additionally noted consumer complaints, saying their options were limited since official releases relied largely on older wheat stocks to assist meet demand. Reservations Extend to Locally Procured Wheat.

They argue that the condition of this stock could be comparable to that of older wheat imported by the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation (PASSCO), and have pressed its suitability for human consumption to be assessed.

Stakeholders are seeking a broader review of wheat procurement and storage practices in Punjab, arguing that quality reservations should be examined throughout both imported and locally procured stocks rather than being limited to PASSCO supplies. Stay Connected with ProPakistani.

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Taken together, the developments around govt Admits Old Imported Wheat is Poor Quality point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.