Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin in a statement on Thursday assured the public of the province’s robust wheat stock, indicating it is more than sufficient to meet the year’s requirements.

Yasin noted a significant decrease in the price of 20 kg flour bag, with a reduction of Rs1,000 over the past month, making it available in the market for Rs1,700 to Rs1,800 for a 20-kilogram bag and Rs900 for a 10-kilogram bag.

Addressing concerns over the wheat import scandal, which has adversely affected farmers unable to attain the promised minimum support price, Yasin pledged to take action against those responsible. He reiterated the government’s stance attributing the crisis to the previous caretaker government’s decision to import wheat.

Yasin highlighted Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s initiative to launch an ongoing probe through a fact-finding committee, emphasizing the government’s determination to hold accountable those implicated in the episode.

Praising Punjab’s current carry-forward stock of 2.3 million metric tons of wheat, Yasin assured that it is adequate until the next wheat crop harvest in 2024-25. This surplus, he emphasized, eliminates the need for further wheat imports, thus conserving precious foreign reserves amidst the prevailing financial crisis. Such measures, Yasin added, are crucial for maintaining the strength of the Pakistani rupee.