Hike in flour, onion prices adds to consumers’ woes in Karachi

In Karachi, recent price hikes have exacerbated the financial difficulties of consumers. Flour millers have increased the rates of various flour types by up to Rs275 per 50kg bag, with a 50kg bag of flour no.2.5, maida, and fine flour now costing Rs7,200, Rs7,600, and Rs7,750, respectively. This comes after a surge in flour prices due to rising wheat prices in the market.

Roti varieties such as naan, sheermal, and taftaan have seen price increases of Rs5-10, reaching Rs150-180 per kilogramme for onions, up from Rs110-150 a week ago. Flour millers in Karachi have been raising prices citing the cost of wheat, while tandoor operators are charging up to Rs35 for naan, up from Rs30, and increasing the prices of sheermal and taftaan to Rs110, from Rs100.

The Karachi Commissioner had previously set fixed prices for chapati and tandoori naan. Despite the official rates, tandoor operators have been ignoring them and raising prices. Consumers have not protested against these increases, opting to pay the higher rates without questioning the weight of the dough, especially for naan. Flour prices have also risen nationwide, with the national average price of a 20kg flour bag, 10kg wheat bag, and one kilogramme of fine flour now at Rs2,200-3,133, Rs1,236, and Rs153, respectively, compared to Rs1,810-2,740, Rs1,039, and Rs137 at the end of March 2026.

The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) is responsible for importing one million tonnes of wheat despite a 4.3% increase in wheat production to 29.61 million tonnes. However, the TCP has not issued an international tender for wheat import, which would take two to three months. Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association (KWGA) chairman Rauf Ibrahim has called for the government to allow flour millers to import wheat themselves and set quotas, stating that the country needs over four million tonnes of wheat.

There is no ban on inter-provincial movement of wheat, but Punjab has banished wheat movement, driving up its price in the open market to Rs130 per kg. The government needs to address the wheat crisis immediately to avoid further price increases and create a supply-demand gap during winter.