Flour Prices Soar Beyond Affordability Nationwide; Ground Flour Reaches Rs200 Per Kg and Roti Sells Up to Rs35 Amid Severe Wheat Shortages
ISLAMABAD : The citizens of Pakistan are forced to say goodbye to essential food items due to the inflationary pressures which are pushing the price of essential food items out of reach of the common man; the price of ground wheat (chaki flour) has now reached Rs200 per kg, while the retail price of fine flour has experienced steep increases and a standard roti price has now reached between Rs30 to Rs35.
Market surveys and official data revealed that though the official retail price of chaki flour is Rs145 per kg, it is openly retailing at Rs200 per kg which is a whopping Rs55 above the official price. In the same way, fine flour is available at Rs132 per kg wholesale and Rs176 per kg retail price while the ration grade flour is available at Rs161 wholesale price and Rs168 retail price.
The highlights of the nation-wide flour price hike are given below:
Acute Wheat Shortages and Rising Provincial Costs in Balochistan: Balochistan is facing acute wheat shortages with a significant impact on the market, causing market costs to spiral. The price of a 50-kilogram bag of flour has risen from Rs6,000 three months back to Rs8,000, and there are reports of shortages in some areas, further aggravating consumer woes.
Multan and Faisalabad Price Surges: In Multan, the price of wheat has climbed up to Rs5400 per maund, which has translated into a price of Rs150 per kg for flour; a 15-kg bag of flour has jumped from Rs1700 to Rs2200, while prices of roti and naan have risen to Rs25 and Rs30 respectively. In Faisalabad, the chaki owners had increased the rates from Rs150 to 160 per kg due to the high cost of wheat procurement by them at Rs5,500 per maund, and they were asking the government to release wheat at subsidized rates.
Hafizabad subsidy shortages: Residents of Hafizabad say that previously a person could buy 10kg of subsidized flour for Rs1100, but now the amount is completely missing and people have to pay Rs1400 to Rs1600 for the 10kg in the open market.
The inability to get regular supply of wheat from the government at subsidised prices has made it challenging for the flour millers, who have been burdened by the price crisis, says the flour mill owners.