Flour crisis intensifies ahead of Ramazan

Nanbais announce protest convention over repeated hikes

RAWALPINDI:

A severe flour crisis has emerged even before the start of Ramazan, with a major increase in flour and fine flour prices for the second time in ten days.

The repeated hikes have triggered protests by bakers and flour dealers.

The Rawalpindi Nanbai Association has called a joint convention of all baker organisations and tandoor owners of Rawalpindi Division today, Thursday, January 22, where a joint charter of demands against the price increase will be presented.

In the open market, the price of a 79-kg bag of fine flour has reached Rs12,800 after an increase of Rs1,800, while a 79-kg bag of whole wheat flour has risen to Rs11,500 after an increase of Rs1,200. Just ten days ago, both flour and fine flour bags had already seen an increase of Rs1,000 each.

Bakers are also facing a severe shortage of government-supplied flour, which they have termed substandard. An emergency meeting of bakers across Rawalpindi Division has been called. Pakistan Nanbai Association Central President Shafiq Qureshi strongly condemned the repeated increase in flour prices and demanded that the federal and Punjab governments take steps to reduce prices.

He announced that if flour prices are not reduced, bakers will be forced to increase bread prices, and warned of a shutter-down strike if the government does not show seriousness. He said the public would continue to face difficulties in the coming Ramazan.

He urged the Punjab government to take action against the flour mafia instead of targeting tandoor owners. He pointed out that six months ago, a 79-kg bag of fine flour was available for Rs6,500 and whole wheat flour for Rs5,000, adding that prices have now doubled.