KARACHI(National Times)- Over the past three days, millers have raised the prices of various flour varieties by an average of Rs14 per kg.
In the last week of September, they cut prices for various flour varieties by Rs3 per kg, but this failed to provide any price relief to consumers, as retailers kept the prices unchanged.
Consumers continue to see price fluctuations in flour ahead of wheat imports, but the federal and provincial governments are not ready to take serious notice, as the new crop from Sindh and Punjab will arrive in March to May.
Some retailers said they had run out of flour after millers suspended supplies for the last few days while preparing to deliver a price shock. After a Rs14 per kg hike, the new rates for flour No. 2.5, maida and fine flour, issued by the millers in Karachi, are Rs155, Rs167 and Rs170 per kg, respectively.
Retailers accuse millers of suspending supply to engineer price shock; Chakki flour hits Rs210 per kg
A miller said that the wheat rate in the open market, which had remained almost unchanged at Rs125-130 per kg, has risen to Rs138 per kg. He added that grain and flour prices are becoming costlier not only in Karachi but across the country.
He said the increase in wheat prices has nothing to do with wheat imports, as imported wheat would arrive this month or in November.
Roti makers have already raised the price of naan by Rs5 to Rs30-35 per piece, followed by Rs10 for sheermal, taftaan and qulcha, while branded bread makers had raised the prices of bread and bakery items by 8-9pc earlier this month. Good-quality chapati is now priced at Rs20 per piece.
A tandoor owner said he cannot sustain a double shock, first the price hike in flour and secondly rising LPG prices. “The price of various varieties of roti may crawl up by Rs5-10 per piece if the rates of flour and gas do not come down in the next few days,” he warned, adding that LPG continues to sell at Rs400-420 per kg, while other items’ prices, like plastic shopping bags, paper for wrapping roti, etc., are also going up.
In the retail markets, the prices of flour No. 2.5, fine flour and Chakki flour are now Rs180, Rs200 and Rs210, respectively, compared with Rs170, Rs180 and Rs180-200 per kg.
A retailer said branded five-kg fine flour bags are available for Rs1,000-1,010, up from Rs950.
