Flour and onion prices have increased sharply in Karachi, adding to pressure on consumers as the country prepares for the arrival of 1 million tonnes of imported wheat and faces concerns over the availability of local supplies.
Karachi flour millers have raised prices of a 50 kilogram bag of flour No. 2.5, maida and fine flour to Rs. 7,200, Rs. 7,600 and Rs. 7,750, respectively. The increases range from Rs. 250 to Rs. 275 per bag and were attributed to higher wheat prices in the open market.
The latest prices are significantly higher than those recorded at the end of April, when the same 50 kilogram bags were available at Rs. 5,600, Rs. 5,800 and Rs. 6,000, respectively. Higher flour costs have also pushed up prices at tandoors, with some operators charging Rs. 35 for naan compared with Rs. 30 previously.
Prices of sheermal and taftaan have also increased to Rs. 110 from Rs. 100 per piece at some large tandoors. Other operators have raised naan prices from Rs. 25 to Rs. 30 and sheermal prices from Rs. 90 to Rs. 100. These increases have come despite official prices set by the Karachi commissioner in February for different weights of chapati and tandoori naan.
Flour prices have increased across Pakistan as well. According to Sensitive Price Index data for the week ending August 20, the national average price of a 20 kilogram flour bag ranged from Rs. 2,200 to Rs. 3,133, while a 10 kilogram wheat bag averaged Rs. 1,236 and fine flour cost Rs. 153 per kilogram. At the end of March, the corresponding prices were Rs. 1,810 to Rs. 2,740, Rs. 1,039 and Rs. 137.
The wheat supply situation remains a concern despite Pakistan producing 29.61 million tonnes of wheat in fiscal year 2026, an increase of 4.3 percent, according to the Economic Survey.
The Trading Corporation of Pakistan has been tasked with importing 1 million tonnes, but the Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association has argued that this will not be sufficient.
Onions have also become more expensive in Karachi. Retail prices have risen to Rs. 150 to Rs. 180 per kilogram, depending on size, from Rs. 110 to Rs. 150 a week earlier and Rs. 90 to Rs. 120 in the last week of July.
Vegetable market representatives said Balochistan is currently supplying most of the country, while Sindh’s new crop is expected to reach markets by the end of September or in October.
Imports from Afghanistan, which previously helped cover supply gaps, have remained suspended, while only small quantities of lower quality onions are arriving from Iran.
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