• Price of only 120-gram naan notified while notification is silent on rates of other varieties
• People not getting roti at lower rates despite fall in flour prices

KARACHI: Instead of providing any relief, the price cut in various varieties of roti announced by the commissioner of Karachi has created confusion among the people in Karachi.

Most of the tandoor operators are not following the new official prices of chapati (100 grams) and naan (120 grams), which new prices are Rs12 and Rs17, respectively.

As a result, people are still paying Rs15-20 for a chapati and Rs25-30 for a naan, which the manufacturers claim is of higher weight.

However, roti makers usually display price lists without mentioning weight of roti varieties.

Tandoor owners claim that the 120-gram naan and 100-gram chapati are mainly sold at limited dhabas or small roadside hotels whereas at regular tandoor shops each naan is sold at Rs25, which has 140-150 grams of weight while the 170-180-gram naan is sold at Rs30.

The commissioner of Karachi has not announced naan and chapati rates of higher weight. This has created confusion among buyers.

A tandoor operator said, “The 120-gram naan will become a papad in less than half an hour after coming out of tandoor due to low weight, which will lack softness. It means consumers will have to at least buy two low weight naans to cover up one regular high weight naan.”

People are surprised that the price regulator has kept the prices of Sheermal, Taftaan and Kulcha unchanged at Rs70-90 per piece despite a sharp decline in flour rates.

Majority of tandoor owners use fine flour for preparing naan while mixed flour (flour No2.5, chakki and fine flour) is used for making chapati.

The commissioner teams are enforcing new rates of chapati and naan.

On May 11, 2024, the price regulator sealed three tandoors —two in Khadda Market and one at Chand Bibi Road for not selling roti at the new rate.

The efforts are seen as only a face-saving measure keeping in view the huge population of tandoor outlets at every nook and corner of the city.

City Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi while strictly issuing orders to deputy commissioners to ensure implementation of the officially fixed rate of roti items, has also warned tandoor owners to follow the official rates.

A member of All Sindh Tandoor and Sheermal House Association, Salman Mian, has said that some of their members have started ensuring availability of low-priced chapati and naan as per commissioner’s instruction.

Some members have also displayed small banners in this regard besides also offering high priced chapati and naan of heavy weight.

He said: “We are only called for a meeting to lower the prices of various roti varieties after a drop in flour rates. We are not invited for a meeting when flour rates go up.”

He said their association had discussed this issue with the commissioner, but he only wanted to provide relief to low income people.

He said the association would again request the commissioner to review prices of high weight naan and chapati.

“We are following the instructions of authorities to provide low cost naan and chapati besides also selling high priced varieties.”

Action sought against bakeries as well

Chairman of Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Association Rauf Ibrahim has said the commissioner has so far not taken any action against bakeries and confectionery item makers who are continuing to overcharge people on different items made of flour despite sharp decline in flour prices.

“There is a need to bring down cost of breakfast especially for the poor and labour class people who are highly worried over rising cost of utility bills,” he said.

Gas loadshedding

Tandoors have also expanded their operations due to extensive gas loadshedding in residential areas.

They face a huge rush of buyers after 9.30pm when gas goes off until 6am.

Due to soaring demand, around five to seven tandoors have opened within a kilometre in the city, whereas sale of Afghani roti by Pakhtoon people is also underway.

However, despite intense competition within an area, almost all tandoor owners operate like a cartel to keep price at a level.

“Commissioner needs to increase its staff and officials who are not even enough to cover a single town out of 18 towns in Karachi,” Mr Ibrahim added.

So far the commissioner has achieved success only in loose milk sale by forcefully implementing its official rate of Rs200 per litre.

In other essential items, a question mark hangs over the performance of the price regulator.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2024