In Lahore, the cost of flour has seen a substantial surge, now reaching a staggering Rs. 2,700 for a 20kg bag. This increase has left citizens grappling with the financial impact. The blame for this rise falls squarely on flour mill owners, who point fingers at the Punjab government for failing to supply government-subsidized wheat, thereby allowing market prices to escalate from Rs. 4,300 to Rs. 4,700 per 40kg.
Mill owners emphasize that the government has yet to issue an official notification concerning the fixed price of flour, a measure that should ideally fall within the range of Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 3,900. This lack of regulation has further exacerbated the situation, permitting prices to soar uncontrollably.
These soaring flour prices coincide with an overarching trend of increasing inflation across the nation. Recent data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) reveals a weekly inflation rate of 0.71%, contributing to an annual inflation rate of 29.88%. The demographic group feeling the most pronounced impact of this inflation hails from those with a monthly income ranging from Rs. 22,889 to Rs. 29,517, experiencing an inflation rate of 30.22%.
The PBS report highlights rising costs of vital items: potatoes up 1.61%, onions by 25.25%, tomatoes by 25.58%, chicken by 10.79%, eggs by 1.30%, and tea leaves by 1.58%. Garlic, basmati rice, and firewood also saw slight increases of 0.50%, 0.19%, and 0.05%.
On the other hand, some items have seen price reductions: garh by 2.66%, cooking oil by 1.62%, LKPG by 1.05%, dal masoor by 0.93%, and washing soap and mustard oil by 0.93% and 0.32% respectively.
Rising flour prices and inflation hurt Pakistani households, especially those with low incomes. The government must act quickly to ease this financial burden.
