SWABI / SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: The wheat price has increased by over 100 percent during the last one week due to stoppage of wheat supply from Punjab province following the devastating floods.

The wheat traders told Dawn here on Friday that the situation had turned so unpredictable here that they feared more price hike in the coming days.

“The environment has become complicated due to rapid change in the price of the wheat, forcing the people to rush to the market for acquiring grain,” said a trader, Sher Khan.

Some of the traders said that they were already short of wheat grain while the consumers had repeatedly been demanding the commodity even at higher price.

Both consumers and traders said that the wheat grain was available in the market at Rs3000 per 50 kilogram a week back but now the price had jumped to Rs6300 per 50 kilogram, and this had occurred so instantly that the consumers were at a loss how to cope with the situation.

Javid Khan, another trader said: “A week ago, we were selling wheat at Rs 3,000 per maund and no one was ready to buy it. Now, when its price has almost doubled, everyone is in haste to buy it.”

Similarly, the price of maize grain has increased because the consumers who did not afford the costly wheat price are opting for maize flour, though its price has also increased from Rs2800 per 50 kg to Rs4000 per kg.

They demanded stabilization of the flour price while stressing that it was one of the foremost responsibilities of the government was to work for protecting the poor consumers, otherwise they would be left on the mercy of the exploiters.

When contacted an official of the district administration said that wheat grain supply had been stopped from the Punjab and the destabilization in the price of the wheat was actually caused by the recent floods in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The Lower South Waziristan’s district headquarters, Wana, is facing a severe flour shortage after floods in the Punjab disrupted the wheat supply chain, leading to an unprecedented surge in wheat prices. Within just three days, the flour prices have nearly doubled, leaving households across the region struggling to afford their daily bread.

Local shopkeepers reported that the price of a 40-kg flour bag has skyrocketed from Rs2,700 to Rs5,000.

The sudden Rs2,300 increase has shocked consumers, many of whom say such a drastic surge has never been witnessed before.

The price hike has hit low-income families the hardest. The daily wage earners in Wana say they can no longer manage their household expenses.

“We earn just enough for a day’s food. If flour alone costs Rs5,000, how would we survive?” a labourer asked in despair.

Women have also voiced similar concerns, saying rising prices are forcing families to cut meals. Several households have already reduced to a single meal a day, while others fear that their children are at risk of malnutrition.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2025