Karachi: Concerns are mounting over a possible flour crisis in Karachi after mill owners sharply increased the prices of flour and maida without official approval.
According to details, the wholesale price of fine flour has jumped by Rs20 per kilogram, reaching Rs95, while the price of No. 2.5 flour has climbed to Rs89 per kilogram. Chairman Wholesale Grocers Abdul Rauf confirmed the sudden hike, warning that it may trigger serious market instability.
The official rate fixed by the administration is far lower Rs78 for fine flour and Rs66 for No. 2.5 flour per kilogram. However, retail buyers are being forced to pay much higher prices, with fine flour selling for Rs110 and No. 2.5 flour at Rs95 per kilogram in local markets.
Adding to citizens’ woes, flour mill owners have also raised the price of milled flour by Rs30 per kilogram, pushing it to Rs120. Defending the increase, the Flour Mills Association stated that selling flour cheaply was not possible while wheat prices remained high.
With prices spiraling and official controls seemingly ineffective, residents fear that the city could soon face a full-blown flour shortage if urgent steps are not taken to stabilize the supply chain.
