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New Delhi. Due to the rapid increase in wheat prices, flour prices have reached historic highs in South Punjab of Pakistan. Due to this, economic difficulties have increased for common citizens. Government subsidized flour has almost disappeared from local markets. The situation is even more complicated in Rahim Yar Khan, where families are struggling with daily price fluctuations, The Express Tribune reports. Market insiders said wheat prices in the open market have touched PKR 4,500 to PKR 4,600 for 40 kg. Due to this increase, flour mill owners have had to increase retail prices. Due to this, flour has become around PKR 130 per kg.

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Officially fixed prices are rarely seen outside Lahore, leaving much of South Punjab dependent on private suppliers. Consumers in these districts are being forced to buy increasingly expensive branded flour. Which is out of reach of many families. Representatives of the Pakistan Flour Mills Association attributed the crisis to shortage of wheat stocks with traders and the public, leading to a massive supply shortfall. According to The Express Tribune, mills in Rahim Yar Khan, which has a population of five million, are not getting their share of wheat allocated by the government, further widening the imbalance between supply and demand. The association also claims that around 80 per cent of flour mills have been running in losses for the last two years due to rising operating costs and an inequitable distribution system. Mill owners have urged the Punjab government to release 20,000 to 22,000 tonnes of wheat per day from its stock of about 1.5 million tonnes between January 20 and March 20. This can stabilize the market. He has also appealed to Maryam Nawaz to intervene. Bakers complain that government flour is still in short quantity and of poor quality, adding to public frustration, reports The Express Tribune.