Wheat flour price hardens Rs 3-4 per kg in Punjab, Haryana

Wheat flour prices in Punjab and Haryana, the major foodgrain-growing states, have gone up by Rs 3-4 per kg in the retail market in the past 10 days on account of short supply of the crop, millowners today said.
Calling upon the Centre to boost supply to check the surge in rates of wheat-related products, they said customers otherwise will have to pay more for buying 'atta', a daily consumption item for many in Punjab and Haryana.
"Wheat flour prices have increased by Rs 3-4 per kg in the last 10 days," Punjab Roller Flour Mill Association President Naresh Ghai said today.

A 10-kg bag of atta is available at Rs 260 in retail market which was Rs 220 per bag a few days earlier.
The price of atta has jumped to Rs 23-24 per kg in the wholesale market, up from Rs 20-21 10-15 days ago, the mill owners said.
Ghai attributed the "sudden sharp" rise in prices to the lesser release by the Food Corporation of India under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS).

"FCI has reduced the supply of wheat considerably in the last 15-20 days under the OMSS scheme," he claimed, adding that earlier, FCI was releasing about 1 lakh tonnes wheat per week.

"It has now issued tenders for the sale of just 14,000 tonne per week, which is insufficient to meet the requirement of flour mills."
In Haryana too, the wheat being supplied by FCI under OMSS has been reduced to 10,000 tonnes now, from 1 lakh tonnes.
Wheat roller flour mills in Punjab and Haryana have monthly wheat requirements of 70,000 tonnes and 20,000 tonnes, respectively, with both states having nearly 110 mills.
As for the the supply of wheat being curtailed, Ghai claimed that FCI officials say the food ministry has issued orders in this regard.
With less supply under OMSS, the bidding rates for wheat in Punjab and Haryana have shot up to Rs 1,915 and Rs 1,960 per quintal, respectively.

"After adding local taxes and transportation cost, wheat is now available at Rs 2,100-2,200 per quintal as against Rs 1,750 prevailing three weeks back," said Ambala-based flour mill owner Sushil Mittal.
The base price for wheat under OMSS has been fixed at Rs 1,640 per quintal.
Flour mill owners lamented that despite Punjab and Haryana being major wheat-growing states in the country, unavailability of wheat in sufficient quantity would add to people's woes.