Flour prices surge again in KP amid Punjab transport hurdles

PEASHAWAR: Due to obstacles in the inter-provincial transport of wheat and flour from Punjab, flour has become expensive once again in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The price of a 20-kg bag of flour has increased from Rs 2,200 to Rs 2,400 in the past week.

According to the Flour Mills Association, due to the disruption in the supply of flour and wheat from Punjab, mills are having to buy wheat at high prices, which is increasing the prices of flour in the market.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s flour mills industry is largely dependent on wheat coming from Punjab. The province produces 1.2 million metric tons of wheat annually, while the total requirement is 5.2 million tons. The shortfall of 4 million tons is met by purchasing wheat and flour from Punjab.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has written letters to the federal and Punjab governments demanding the lifting of the ban on the transport of wheat from Punjab.