Flour millers deliver another price shock

Dawn reported that flour millers in Karachi raised rates by Rs6 per kg on Thursday, across several flour grades. The increase brings the total hike over recent days to Rs20 per kg, and the new rates put flour No. 2.5 at Rs161 per kg, maida at Rs173 and fine flour at Rs176.

The Sindh government plans to release wheat from October 15 at Rs12,500 per 100kg bag, aiming to steady flour prices. According to Dawn, the provincial and city administrations have not taken firm notice of the rising rates so far. Retailers are expected to pass the latest millers' increase on to consumers, so shoppers will see higher costs in coming days.

Sindh's current wheat stock totals 346,414 tonnes. Adding 190,000 tonnes from the Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation and 300,000 tonnes of imported wheat would lift the amount available for release to 836,414 tonnes.