Punjab

Naanbais announce strike against abolition of quota

Threaten to increase prices of naan and roti after waiver of subsidy

Qaiser Shirazi April 27, 2023

Workers prepare toasted sesame flatbreads for customers in a traditional oven at the Shahadat Naan Centre in Kartarpura Food Street, Rawalpindi. PHOTO: AGHA MAHROZ/EXPRESS

RAWALPINDI:

Naanbai Association - a representative body of bread oven owners - has threatened to on strike in the twin cities on May 5 against the termination of flour quota and subsidy in the face of the severe financial crisis.

Representatives of the association have also announced to increase the prices of roti, naan, and paratha in the wake of a surge in the price of flour.

The announcement comes at a time when the free and subsidised flour programmes have been terminated due to the ongoing economic crisis.

Sources privy to the development said that due to the acute wheat crisis, flour mills have decided to stop the supply of 10 and 15-kg flour bags. Instead, they have decided to prepare and sell 20 kg flour bags at a cost of Rs3,100 each.

Meanwhile, the flour mills have protested against the hike in the prices of wheat.

In the open market, the price of flour has reached Rs150 per kg.

On the other hand, officials in the departments concerned have claimed that the wheat and flour shortage is likely to persist till the procurement of fresh wheat. It’s worth noting here that the government discontinued the subsidy on flour after investing billions in the free flour distribution programme during Ramazan. Moreover, the Food Department has stopped selling subsidised wheat to flour mills, increasing the possibility of deepening the crisis.

Due to this decision, citizens have been forces to buy flour at exorbitant rates.

Similarly, the Nanbais association has criticised the termination of the subsidy on flour for the public stating that the move will result in an increase in the price of bread.

The association’s central president Shafiq Qureshi confirmed the ongoing crisis and said the price of a bag of flour in the open market has reached Rs12,800. He said a bag of fine flour has reached Rs13,000 and a bag of refined wheat flour at Rs13,500.

Moreover, a grand meeting of the oven owners of the twin cities has been convened on Friday to devise future a strategy. It is expected that the huddle will give the final nod for the decision to go on strike and increase the prices of bread and other bakery items.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2023.