LAHORE: With apparently no breakthrough in inflation getting unbridled with each passing day, the citizens have received another shock as wheat flour prices have jumped countrywide, touching Rs70/kg. The average selling of flour has been reported Rs62/kg across the stores.
According to the Retailers Association, the flour price has increased by Rs5 in the last week owing to a shortage of wheat supply. “Fine flour is available for Rs62/kg while the price of mill flour has been increased by five to six rupees and being sold between Rs 62/kg to Rs70/kg,” president retailers association said.
In Karachi, a sack of flour is being sold for Rs500. According to the dealers in the open market, the price of what per kilogram has increased from Rs47 to Rs52 in the open market, while after an increase of Rs500, a 100kg sack is being sold for Rs5,200.
In some parts of the city bags of 10kg flour which cost Rs450 before the crisis are now being sold for Rs700 after an increase of Rs250.
The situation in Hyderabad is not different as the flour price has reached a record high with a 10kg bag is being sold for Rs640.
In Lahore, the Flour Mill Association Punjab has increased the flour price by Rs6 per kg, after which flour is being sold at Rs70 per kg across the province.
The Flour Mill Association fixed the flour price at Rs64 on January 4, however, a few days later, wheat was being sold at Rs70per kg. A 20kg bag of flour is being sold for Rs808.
According to the association’s general secretary, the market is facing the flour crisis and other provinces have been relying on Punjab to cover the non-availability of flour.
In Gujranwala, a 20kg bag of flour which was initially being sold at Rs805 is not being traded at Rs1,050.
In addition, wheat supply to the government mills has been halted in Faisalabad due to which the flour price has touched Rs70 per kg because of non-availability of official wheat.
Flour mill owners even after fetching wheat from the government are selling expensive flour to the consumers, claims local district food controller.
The citizens who are already bearing the brunt of increasing cost of living blame the incumbent government for causing inflation.
Advisor to the prime minister on finance and revenue Dr Hafeez Sheikh has recently been quoted as saying that the government is adopting rampant measures to tackle inflation.
