Flour millers to seek higher rake allocation

Flour millers in north India were likely to meet the Railway Board chairman this week to seek higher rake allocation on the Wagah-Attari rail line to import wheat from Pakistan, trade officials said today.

Roller Flour Mills Federation Secretary Veena Sharma said north Indian millers wanted to import cheaper wheat from Pakistan, but this would be viable only if the government permitted higher allocation of rail rakes for transportation.

Currently, the two countries allow 20-22 rakes a month on the Wagah-Attari line for transporting farm goods, including sugar, potato, onions and cotton. The governments will have to increase the number of rakes to facilitate wheat import. Sharma said if the rail infrastructure was improved, millers would be able to import wheat at Rs 840 a quintal "" lower than the government's purchase price of Rs 850.