Resolve Wheat Supply Crisis, Punjab's Roller Flour Millers Urge Centre

New Delhi: The Roller Flour Millers Association of Punjab on Thursday asked the Centre to resolve the wheat supply crisis being faced by the industry in the state. The association, which represents the wheat processing industry, organised an awareness workshop here on issues which will add value to enhancing the profitability and legal compliance of the industry.

The function was presided over by Principal Secretary, Food & Civil Supplies, Vikas Garg. "The roller flour milling industry is an MSME industry, and in Punjab, it is a very important industry for the prosperity of the farmers of this agrarian state. Wheat is a major crop of the state and it is the flour milling industry which adds value to it by converting it into wheat flour which further reaches the tables of the consumers in different forms," Association President Dharminder Singh Gill and Vice President Anil Popli said in a statement.

Stressing the need to strengthen the industry so that it becomes a valuable asset to the farmers of the state, they said the wheat supply is being controlled by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and requested it to sell more wheat in the market. "Punjab is contributing 95 per cent of its wheat production to the Central pool through the FCI, hence the industry has to depend upon it in a big way for its requirement."

As per reports, the wheat sowing acreage this year is nearly three to four per cent more this year. "We can expect a better harvest and request the government to offload at least 10 LMT in the market through OMSS (Open Market Sale Scheme) and facilitate sufficient supply of wheat in Punjab till April 13 when the new wheat crop is harvested," they said.

The association passed a resolution and put forth several demands from the government, which included setting up a committee of industry representatives and the Punjab Agricultural University to design and implement schemes for better participation of the industry with the farmers. It was also proposed that special varieties of wheat should be developed and promoted keeping in mind the application of their flour.