Balochistan is facing a deepening wheat crisis as flour prices have surged to Rs2,300 per 20-kilogram bag, straining household budgets already burdened by record inflation. Experts warn that the situation could worsen without immediate government intervention.
According to reports, the provincial food department’s failure to procure wheat during the stable March-April period has been identified as a key factor. Instead of building reserves for the year, the department cleared nearly 800,000 bags of older grain in storage, aiming to prevent spoilage. Officials defended the move, but the sale at low prices caused losses exceeding Rs6 billion and left the province without a strategic backup as market volatility increased.
Over the past three weeks, flour prices have climbed steadily, prompting panic buying, hoarding, and cuts in household consumption. “In my 30 years of running a shop, I have never seen flour cross Rs2,000 per bag,” said a Quetta-based trader. “Families are cutting meals because they simply cannot afford it.”
The crisis has been further aggravated by a wheat scandal uncovered by the Balochistan Anti-Corruption Department. Investigations indicate that billions of rupees were siphoned off through mismanagement and corrupt practices in wheat handling and sales. Several officials have been detained, though authorities have not disclosed details.
Analysts say the scandal highlights systemic issues of weak oversight, political interference, and institutional failure.
“This is not just about one season of bad management. It is about years of neglect where accountability has been absent,” said an economic analyst in Quetta.
