KARACHI: Consumers, running from store to store to get sugar even at Rs80 a kilo, are further burdened with sky-rocketing rates of various pulses and hiking of flour rates ahead of Eid.

Meanwhile, confusion prevails over the increase in flour rates as traders in the markets, while quoting 80kg flour bag (No 2.5) at Rs2,400 instead of Rs2,340 till a couple of days earlier, blamed the flour millers for pushing up the rates.

Flour millers reject the claim of traders, saying that traders are trying to cash in on the situation ahead of Eidul Azha.

Pakistan Flour Mills Association (Sindh zone) Chairman Mohammad Yousuf told Dawn: ‘The millers have not increased the flour prices despite an increase in 100kg wheat bag rate from last week’s Rs2,600 to Rs2,670.’

He linked the wheat price increase to the shortage of transport in the upcountry as most vehicles are employed in transporting sacrificial animals. This situation prevails every year a few days ahead of Eid.

He added that due to fewer vehicles, transporters had raised the rate of carrying a wheat bag to Rs125 from Rs60-70, leading to a slight rise in wheat bag price.

Mr Yousuf said Sindh had a stock of 950,000 tonnes of wheat which was 570,000 tonnes last year.

Similarly, the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services Corporation has two million tonnes in stock. Without quoting the stocks of wheat in Punjab, he said the government had lifted 9.5 million tonnes of wheat.

By the arrival of the next wheat crop in March/April next year, the flour rates are likely to remain stable due to a bumper wheat crop and adequate stocks, he said.

The retail rate of flour (2.5) has been intact but any further jump may result in a fresh price hike. Currently it is selling at Rs32 per kg at retail markets, Karachi Retail Grocers Group general secretary Farid Qureishi said.

However he claimed that some branded packers of 10kg flour bag had pushed up the rate by Rs5 per bag on Tuesday.

Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Group chairman Anis Majeed said the millers had increased the flour rate after an increase in wheat rate.

Coming to pulses, the retail rate of various varieties of mung has gone up sharply. For example, mung (washed) price is now quoted at Rs80 per kg as compared to Rs77 on Nov 1, while it was available at Rs64 per kg on Oct 1. Mung (chhilka) and mung (whole) prices have risen to Rs98 and Rs125 as compared to Rs66 per kg each on Nov 1. They were selling at Rs44 per kg each on Oct 1.

Anis Majeed attributed the price hike in mung to a massive increase in its smuggling out.

The association has already informed Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani that the commodity was being sent to India on barter from Kashmir borders and other illegal means, creating a shortage and resulting in price hike.

This year, Pakistan has a crop of about 90,000-95,000 tonnes against a consumption of 120,000 tonnes.

The country has already short crop and if smuggling continued, the country will have to import it at $1,000-1,100 per tonne from the world markets. Currently its local price is $600-700 per tonne.

He said India was actively buying the commodity because of its very short crop. He added that so far no steps had been taken to control the movement through illegal channels.

Mash 1 (washed) is now priced at Rs125 per kg as compared to Rs108 per kg on Nov 1. India is also actively buying it from world markets, pushing up its rate to $1,300 per tonne while it was available at $600 per tones last year.

A good quality arhar pulse can now be purchased at Rs100 per kg as compared to Rs90 per kg on Nov 1. Arhar arrives here from Mayanmar.

In Masur, the arrival of new Australian and Canadian crop in world markets has brought some stability. In retail, its rate is Rs85 per kg as compared to Rs95-100 per kg on Nov 1.

Similarly, a good crop of 750,000 tonnes of gram has kept the rate of gram pulse unchanged at Rs48 per kg.