NPMC Directs Provinces to Control Sugar Prices

The National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) was informed on Wednesday that the prices of sugar have shown a slight increase in Rawalpindi, Karachi and Peshawar. The meeting was apprised that the new stocks of sugar arriving in the market will bring down the sugar prices.

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin expressed concern about the rise of sugar prices and directed the provincial authorities to take appropriate measures to control the prices.

The NPMC meeting was chaired by Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin and attended by Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research Syed Fakhar Imam, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, federal secretaries and other senior officials.

Economic Adviser Finance Division briefed the NPMC about weekly SPI which increased by 0.40 percent as compared to the previous week which was 0.55 percent. Prices of 5 items registered decline which contributed decline in the SPI by 0.12 percent. During the week, prices of potatoes declined by 0.04 percent, chillies powder 0.03 percent, onions 0.02 percent, wheat flour 0.03 percent and gur by 0.0004 percent. It was informed that prices of items marked decline during the week as compared to the prices for the same period in the last year. The meeting was also informed that current prices of onion are lower as compared to three years earlier.

NPMC was informed that prices of 23 items remained stable whereas 23 items registered a rise in prices which included ladies sandals 0.12 percent, tomatoes 0.03 percent, LPG 0.16 percent, eggs 0.07 percent and others 0.14 percent. It was further informed that fluctuations in petroleum prices have affected the LPG prices.

NPMC was updated on the prices of wheat flour which marked a further decrease in the country. The meeting expressed satisfaction over the availability of sufficient stocks of wheat in the country.

The meeting also discussed the sowing situation of wheat in the country and was informed that sowing of wheat was satisfactory in Sindh and Punjab whereas sowing of wheat in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was affected due to the drought situation but now it is in progress and wheat sowing targets will be achieved.

NPMC also discussed milk prices in the country and was informed that prices are normal across the country. The Finance Minister directed the Ministry of Food Security to work out a suitable plan for optimal level of milk prices in order to ensure its smooth and sustainable supply in the market.

The NPMC was briefed on the availability of essential goods at subsidized rates at the Sastaa & Sahulat Bazaars across the country. The Finance Minister commended the efforts of the government of Punjab, KP and Islamabad administration in providing key items at discounted prices through arranging Sastaa Bazaars and also expressed satisfaction on the availability of essential items at low rates in Sastaa Bazaars in Sindh and Baluchistan.

In his concluding remarks, the Finance Minister underscored the efforts being made for keeping the prices of essential items in check and measures to ensure a smooth supply of essential commodities throughout the country.