Karachi faces looming flour crisis as prices soar

KARACHI: A flour crisis is feared in Karachi as mill owners have unilaterally raised the prices of flour and maida, sparking concerns of an artificial shortage in the city, ARY News reported

According to Abdul Rauf, Chairman of the Wholesale Grocers Association, the price of flour has surged by Rs20 per kilogram. In Karachi’s wholesale markets, fine flour is now selling at Rs95 per kg, while No 2.5 flour has reached Rs89 per kg.

This sharp increase stands in contrast to the official rates fixed by the Karachi Commissioner, who had set the price of fine flour at Rs78 per kg and No 2.5 flour at Rs66 per kg. Retail prices in Karachi have climbed even higher, with fine flour now being sold at Rs110 per kg and No 2.5 flour at Rs95 per kg.

Meanwhile, the price of chakki flour has also soared by Rs30 per kg, reaching Rs120 per kg. The Flour Chakki Association in Karachi defended the hike, stating that high wheat purchase costs and additional expenses of Rs30 per kg for grinding and processing make it impossible to sell flour at cheaper rates.

Market observers in Karachi warn that the flour crisis could worsen if wheat hoarding by profiteers continues unchecked and authorities fail to take timely action.

Also Read: Karachi authorities set official prices for flour, bread

Earlier, Commissioner of Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi had issued a notification setting official flour prices and bread rates in the city to accommodate masses during Ramadan.

According to the notification, the wholesale price of No 2.5 flour in Karachi has been fixed at Rs83 per kg, while the retail price is set at Rs87 per kg. Fine flour prices were at Rs88 per kg in wholesale and Rs92 per kg in retail. Chakki flour price has been set at Rs 100 per kg.

However, in Karachi’s markets, fine flour was being sold between Rs90 to Rs100 per kg, while Chakki flour was priced between Rs110 to Rs115 per kg. The notification also fixed the price of a 100-gram roti at Rs 10 and a 120-gram naan at Rs 15.

However, in Karachi, chapati was being sold at Rs18 to Rs20, while naan without weight restrictions is priced between Rs25 to Rs28. Additionally, the flour rates were officially set to regulate market prices.