{
  "id": 10132845,
  "title": "Meagre flour price cut brings no relief",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/meagre-flour-price-cut-brings-no-relief",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-27T03:00:45.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Dawn Business",
    "slug": "dawn-business",
    "url": "https://www.dawn.com/news/2032969/meagre-flour-price-cut-brings-no-relief"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "KARACHI: Millers have recently slashed prices for various flour varieties by Rs3 per kg, but these reductions appear to have brought no relief to consumers. The price cuts were not directly linked to the anticipated arrival of 750,000 tonnes of imported wheat, which was expected to help avert any potential wheat and flour crises. After the price reduction, millers issued new rates for flour No 2.5, maida, and fine flour at Rs141, Rs149, and Rs152 per kg, respectively. The millers attributed the price decrease to the presence of cheap rice-mixed flour from interior Sindh being mixed into the wheat.\n\nDespite the price reduction, the price of wheat in the open market has remained relatively unchanged at Rs125-130 per kg. Even with the government's plan to import 750,000 tonnes of wheat in the coming months, the millers' price cuts have not resulted in a corresponding drop in retail or bread prices. Roti makers have increased the price of naan by Rs5 to Rs30-35 per piece, while sheermal, taftaan, and qulcha have seen price increases of Rs10. Branded bread makers raised the prices of bread and bakery items by 8 percent earlier in the month.\n\nThe impact of the Rs3 price cut is further diminished by the substantial rise in transportation costs due to increased diesel and LPG prices. Additionally, the unchanged wheat rate in the open market has nullified the benefits of the price reduction. Flour mill operators argue that the price reduction is negligible compared to the significant price hikes in flour since the new crop arrived in the market between March and May. They express confusion over why millers chose to reduce prices despite these challenges.\n\nIn the retail market, the price of flour No 2.5, maida, and fine flour has remained at Rs160, Rs170, and Rs180 per kg, respectively, indicating no drop in prices. Five-kilogram bags of branded fine flour are available for Rs950-1,000, as the city government has been reluctant to regulate the prices of branded flour bags. According to the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) for the week ending September 24, the national average price of a 20kg flour bag, a 10kg wheat bag, and a one-kilogram bag of fine flour has increased from Rs1,810-2,740, Rs1,039, and Rs137 to Rs2,200-3,200, Rs1,269, and Rs155.84, respectively.",
  "summary": "KARACHI: Millers have cut prices for various flour varieties by Rs3 per kg. They did not link the reduction to any pre-market effect ahead of the arrival of 750,000 tonnes of imported wheat. After the cut, millers issued new rates a day back for flour No 2.5, maida and fine flour of Rs141, Rs149 and Rs152 per kg, respectively. A miller said that the flour rates have been slashed due to the…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}