MULTAN: People have shown concern as Roti prices have gone up and it is being sold at Rs 10 to Rs 15 in the city.
The sellers have increased prices of Roti and Naan, overburdening the middle and lower middle classes due to unchecked rise. The News conducted a survey on Saturday and talked to consumers and sellers. It is learnt that Roti prices have jumped from Rs 5 to Rs 10 to Rs 15 and Naan prices from Rs 15 to Rs 25 in the market.
The Tandoor owners said the government had increased gas tariff and they were unable to afford Roti and Naan at old rates. They said the government had fixed Rs 2,300 flour bag prices of 40kg but actually each bag contains 39kg flour. The owners repeatedly lodged complaints but it proved a futile exercise and unnoticeable, they told.
Trader representative Khalid Mehmood Qureshi said that the price of fine flour had increased from Rs 3,350 to Rs 4,200 per 80kg and price of normal quality flour had increased from Rs 2,800 to Rs 3,350 per 80kg after the budget 2019-20.
This is second time that Naan and Roti prices have been increased in recent weeks.
The Nanbis were of the view that they could not afford selling bread on low prices as the government had increased gas prices. Wheat flour price went up from Rs 785 per 20kg bag to Rs 1,100 per 20kg bag, they said. The prices of firewood went up from Rs 650 per 40kg to Rs 850 per 40kg and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) from Rs 140 per kg to Rs 180 per kg, they added. Prof Abdul Salam Qureshi of Consumers Rights Association said that the prices of essential kitchen items witnessed a significant increase during the last one year from January 2019 to January 2020.
He said that during past one year from January 5, 2019, to January 4, 2020, potato price went up from Rs 120 per 5kg in wholesales market to Rs 200 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 50 per kg against Rs 30 per kg; onions price had gone up from Rs140 per 5kg to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail market were being sold at Rs90-100 per kg against Rs40 per kg and tomato price went up from Rs150 per 5kg to Rs550 per 5kg, which in retail market was being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs35 per kg. During the period, garlic price went up from Rs 750 per 5kg to Rs 1,000 per 5kg, which in retail market was being sold at Rs 300 per kg against Rs 250 per kg and ginger price went up from Rs 600 per 5kg to Rs 1,100 per 5kg, which in retail market was being sold at Rs 350-400 per kg against Rs150 per kg, Prof Abdul Salam Qureshi said.
Tetra pack milk prices went up from Rs 1,300 per carton to Rs 1,596 per carton, fresh milk from Rs 100 per kg to Rs 130 per kg, beef from Rs 400 per kg to Rs 550 per kg, mutton from Rs 800 per kg to Rs 1,200 per kg, large plain bread from Rs 55 per pack to Rs 75 per pack and medium plain bread price went up from Rs35 per pack to Rs55 per pack. Similarly, he added, turmeric prices increased from Rs 6,000 per 40kg to Rs11,000 per 40kg and price of basmati rice went up from Rs140 per kg to Rs 180 per kg.
The City District Administration officials said that Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar had ordered a crackdown on hoarders and profiteers against continuous illogical rise in flour prices. The chief minister had ordered bringing the flour prices back to normal level, they added. The CDA had asked the citizens that they can lodge their complaints at toll free number 0800-60606 in case of facing flour shortage or hike in prices, the officials added.