In order to control price hike for food commodities, the Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) has recommended the government for establishing a monitoring commission to decide timely import and export permissions, fix support price of declining crops and maintain a security buffer stock to counter supply shortages.
The CCP, on the direction of Minister for Finance Senator Ishaq Dar given during the last National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), conducted a meeting to finalise its recommendations on the price control mechanism for essential food commodities in the country. A presentation on CCP’s short and long term proposals was given by Shaista Bano, Director General (Cartels & Trade Abuses), CCP. Proposals put forward by CCP include: devising and implementing a uniform pricing formula by all provinces at wholesale level; mapping of commodities’ supply in the country; establishment of agricultural supermarkets for farmers on public private partnership model; establishing a monitoring commission to decide on timely import and export permissions related to food commodities; `fixing supporting price of declining crops, and maintaining a security buffer stock to counter supply shortages. There are all kinds of cartels organised around just this, and as such the problem is one which falls under the mandate of the Competition Commission. We hope the steps that are to be taken and which have been agreed to after consultations with officials from all relevant departments will have the desired impact. Food is essential to the life of every family. Surveys conducted over the years show growing rates of malnutrition in the country, notably in interior Sindh, and this is linked in part to rising costs. Poorer nutritional quality has also been noted in households in all urban centres. If the government is able to keep food prices under check, the service will be an enormous one in a situation where large portions of every budget are used for buying food items. Experts have pointed out that as a percentage, the amount spent on food is far higher in our country than in many more developed ones. It is good news that the government has at least taken note of the situation and decided to make an attempt to remedy it. Unfortunately, as we have seen in the past, plans do not always work out too well.
pk.shafaqna.com
