KARACHI: Manufacturers of bread and other bakery items have decided to increase prices by over 11 per cent in the last week of this month ahead of Eidul Azha.

The Karachi Bread Association (KBA) has also planned to raise school bun price from November 2020 by Rs5 to Rs15, when schools are likely to reopen.

As per new prices, which have been mutually approved among KBA members, the mini-plain and milky bread will cost Rs40 and Rs41 as compared to Rs35 and Rs36, the present rates.

The price of small (plain and milky) bread has been increased to Rs60 and Rs61 from Rs55 and Rs56. Large plain bread may be available at Rs110 instead of Rs100.

A cut burger bun and special burger bun pack of four pieces will be sold at Rs55 and Rs60 as against Rs50 and Rs55 of present rate.

The price of burger roll has been raised to Rs20 from Rs17 while bran bread and pillow pack rusk pack prices have been pushed up to Rs90 and Rs80 from Rs80 and Rs70.

KBA general secretary Haroon Iqbal told Dawn that the price of maida (super fine flour) had risen to Rs2,950 per 50kg from Rs2,125 per 50kg on May 15 followed by hike in sugar rates to Rs87 per kg from Rs58 in March, 2019.

He said imported raw materials and products like preservatives, improving agents and emulsifier hold 22pc in total cost of bread manufacturing. Over the past year, the prices of these items had surged by 25-27pc due to devaluation of the rupee against the dollar.

He said utility bills’ rate has also swelled by 30-35pc in the last year, thus pushing up cost of manufacturing.

“If the maida price further rises to Rs3,100 per 50kg then consumers may have to brave another jump of 10 per cent increase in rates of bread and other items,” he warned.

In 2019, the manufacturers first raised the price ahead of Ramazan by over eight per cent followed by second jump in price by nine per cent ahead of Eidul Azha.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2020