LAHORE: Wheat and flour prices have soared in the provincial metropolis, while tandoor walas have reduced the weight of roti as the city administration is failing to enforce official rates.

According to market sources, the price of a 20kg bag of flour, which was available at Rs1,400 three weeks ago, has jumped to Rs2,200, an increase of up to Rs800 during the last few days.

Similarly, the price of an 50kg bag of fine flour has nearly doubled, rising from Rs4,800 to Rs9,000, a massive increase of Rs4,200. The cost of wheat has also climbed up to Rs4,000 per maund in the open market.

In response to the rising costs, tandoor owners have reportedly found a workaround. Instead of raising the price of roti to avoid action by the city administration, they have reduced the weight of a standard roti from 100 grams to 80 grams without informing customers.

Aftab Gill, president of the Naan Bai Association, told Dawn that a meeting of the tandoor owners is scheduled for Tuesday (Sept 9) to potentially increase the prices of naan and roti.

The proposed increase would see roti price go up by Rs5 and naan by Rs10.

Gill says as per their agreement with the administration, the rate of naan is open, however, the authorities had fixed the price of roti at Rs14 per piece when the flour rate was Rs1,400 per 20kg bag. Now even the government has notified the 20kg flour bag rate as Rs1,810 and thus there’s no justification of maintaining the rate of roti at Rs14.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2025