National Price Monitoring Committee Meeting Held Under Ahsan Iqbal’s Chairmanship

The National Price Monitoring Committee met today, November 5, under the chairmanship of Ahsan Iqbal. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Federal Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Planning, and Microeconomic authorities, including Chief Statistician Naeem Uz Zafar [1).

*Key Takeaways from the Meeting:*

– _Price Reductions:_ Prices of transportation, chicken, sugar, pulses, potatoes, rice, and wheat flour have decreased, as per the Federal Bureau of Statistics.
– _Global Market Impact:_ The price of palm oil has increased due to global market trends.
– _Provincial Market Committees:_ Ahsan Iqbal stressed the need for provincial market committees to monitor supply and demand in real-time.
– _Statistics Department Capacity:_ Iqbal emphasized leveraging the Statistics Department’s capabilities.
– _Petrol Prices and Freight:_ The Federal Minister directed comparison of petrol prices and freight costs.

*Agricultural Sector Focus:*

– _Wheat Production:_ Timely measures are crucial to boost wheat production.
– _Agricultural Objectives:_ Preparing business plans in advance is necessary to achieve agricultural goals.
– _Value Addition:_ Iqbal highlighted the importance of value addition.
– _Peanut Butter Production:_ Chakwal has potential for peanut butter production from peanuts.

The meeting aimed to address price stability and economic growth, ensuring provincial governments guarantee alignment with global practices.