KARACHI, April 14: The price of 10 kg flour (atta) bag (no.2.5) has jumped to Rs230 from Rs200-210 last week. Retailers are found charging Rs240 in some areas.

However, the retail markets have yet to show any signs of shortage of atta but its price rising almost every week is a severe blow to the consumers, who are already burdened with higher prices for rice, ghee and cooking oil, fresh milk, and pulses, etc.

Three weeks back the 10 kg bag was selling at Rs150-160. Retailers said that wheat price in the open market has also surged to Rs1,775 from Rs1,750 last week and Rs1,650-1,700 three weeks back.

Ashrafi fine atta (10 kg bag) is also being retailed at Rs230-240. The price of chakki atta ranges between Rs23-24 per kg followed by fine atta at Rs24-25 per kg. Retailers said that they were getting the 10 kg Ashrafi bag at Rs230 now from the mill.

On the quality side, consumers are complaining about the inferior quality of flour available in the markets. They said that the bread (Roti) prepared for dinner, could not be consumed the next morning as it gets fungus quickly. This situation has arisen since the prices had gone up and when the mills and the government had jointly introduced the flour priced at Rs15 to16 per kg few months back.

They said that the retailers refuse to take back the poor quality flour once sold and hence there is no question of refund of money.

Many consumers were seen quarrelling with the retailers on the poor quality of flour but the government was yet to come out with measures to check the quality of flour.

The city government officials are now very busy in controlling the prices of fresh milk at the retail and wholesale stage. As a result, retailers enjoy a free hand in fleecing the consumers.

Many retailers have warned the consumers of further price hike in 10 kg bag to over Rs250 in coming days.

Retailers are of the view that the price of 80 kg atta bag (no.2.5) has surged to around Rs1,600 as compared to Rs1,500 a week back while it was Rs1,200 three weeks back.

A member of Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA) said that the government has increased the issue price of 100 kg wheat bag to the millers to Rs1,621 from Rs1,215.

On Tuesday each miller will get only 100 bags of wheat. Few days back flour millers had started getting 200-250 bags each per day as compared to 400 bags two weeks back.

He said that the mills were making flour by procuring 90 per cent of wheat from the open market. At a price of around Rs1,600 per 80 kg bag, the retailers should sell atta at Rs21.50 per kg, the millers said.