Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar chaired a review meeting on controlling food inflation here in Islamabad on Friday.

Dated : 14 February 2020

Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar chaired a review meeting on controlling food inflation here in Islamabad on Friday. Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research Makhdum Khusru Bakhtyar, Mian Asalm Iqbal Minister for Industries and Trade Punjab, Managing Director Utility Stores Umar Lodhi, Secretary Food Muhammad Hashim Popalzai and senior officials participated in the meeting.

A number of measures for overcoming the crisis of skyrocketing prices of food items were considered in the meeting. The meeting was told that the government was taking every possible step to reduce food inflation/prices. Federal Minister for Planning Asad Umar has directed to strengthen the monitoring system of 18 essential commodities including wheat, sugar, flour, edible ghee / oil, potatoes, onions and pulses in all the provinces of the country. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan's top priority is to provide essential commodities to the people at very reasonable prices. According to the directive of Prime Minister Imran Khan, in the next cabinet meeting, the Prime Minister will be given further recommendations to reduce the prices of commodities.



Asad Umar instructed officials to maintain regular supply of wheat from public-sector stocks. Federal Minister directed Umar Lodhi, Managing Director of Utility Stores, to check prices of Pulses. He also instructed Ministry of Food for developing strategies to increase local production of food products. Asad Umar instructed to keep a close watch on the onion and potato trade situation.



Assad Omar said that price-hike will start to decline this month (February 2020) and inflation is expected to drop significantly.