Flour prices in Peshawar have surged sharply due to supply restrictions imposed on the movement of flour from Punjab, with no signs of stabilization in the local market.
According to market sources, the price of a 20-kilogram bag of flour has reached Rs2,500, while the 80-kilogram bag, after an increase of Rs500, is now selling between Rs9,500 and Rs10,000.
On Thursday, the retail price of different flour varieties in Peshawar stood at Rs2,500 for Fine, Rs2,450 for Super Fine, and Rs2,400 for mixed quality. The price of Fine flour alone has increased by Rs400 in recent days, jumping from Rs2,100 to Rs2,500 per 20-kilogram bag.
The continuous rise in flour prices has also impacted bread weight, which has now dropped to just 80 grams per loaf. Traders and consumers alike attribute the upward trend to the ongoing restrictions on flour supply from Punjab, warning that further hikes are likely if the issue remains unresolved.
On the other hand, a high-level meeting, chaired by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Provincial Minister for Food, Zahoor Shah Toru, was held at the Commissioner's Office in Mardan to review the availability and prices of flour in the province following Punjab's recent ban on wheat and flour supply to K-P.
Commissioner Mardan, Nisar Ahmed, briefed the minister, stating that both the open market and government warehouses currently have sufficient stocks of wheat.
He added that the deputy commissioners of Mardan and Swabi have been directed to closely monitor the situation and take strict action against hoarders and those involved in creating artificial price hikes.
Minister Zahoor Shah Toru reassured that the provincial government is closely monitoring the situation and will ensure the protection of people's rights. He emphasized that under Article 151 of the Constitution of Pakistan, inter-provincial movement of food commodities cannot be restricted. He further informed that Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, along with the Chief Secretary and senior Food Department officials, is in contact with the federal and Punjab governments on the matter.
The minister directed district administrations and the Food Department to review the situation on a daily basis and ensure that flour and bread are made available to the public at official rates across the province.
The meeting was also attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner General Mardan Eid Nawaz Sherani, ADC Relief Iqbal Hussain Khattak, and other officials from the Food Department.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ