KARACHI: Tandoor operators have raised the prices of various varieties of roti, citing increase in prices of flour varieties, ghee, fresh milk and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

In many areas, roti makers are charging Rs2 to Rs10 per piece extra in tandoor roti and sheermal rates followed by rise in chapati prices by Rs5 per piece.

Recently, the commissioner of Karachi fixed the prices of chapati and tandoori naan weighing 120 grams, 140-150 grams and 180 grams at Rs14, Rs18, Rs21 and Rs27 but consumers hardly find these official rates implemented at any tandoor outlets.

A big roti and nihari seller in North Nazimabad said that he had raised the price by Rs5 to Rs30 after increasing the weight of dough from 160 grams to 180 grams.

Rates jacked up amid rise in wheat prices; tandoor operators say they can’t shoulder high prices of flour, milk, ghee and packaging materials

Roti sellers in F. B. Area raised prices by Rs2 on naan to Rs27 and Rs10 on sheermal to Rs90 without mentioning their weight.

A consumer in Gulistan-i-Jauhar said he had paid Rs5 extra on a naan but it seemed that its weight had been reduced by the tandoor operator.

Some big roti and sheermal houses in the city, who have kept naan rates at Rs30 and Rs90-100, are watching the situation, as LPG prices are going down while flour prices are going up.

Tandoor shops see rise in footfall during “zero gas” hours in residential areas especially after 9.30pm onward while the recent decision of the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to suspend gas supply mainly from 3pm to 6pm is further pushing consumers towards tandoor shops.

As per data of Sensitive Price Indicators (SPI) ending April 30, the price of 20kg wheat flour bag has increased to Rs2,300-2,500 from 2,000-2,400 prevailing in the second week of April.

The 10kg wheat bag and fine atta rates have surged to Rs 990 and 135.94 from Rs900 and Rs128, respectively, in the above period, the SPI data said.

Wheat prices were expected to fall after the arrival of Sindh crop in March followed by Punjab crop in April, but the situation has changed.

However, the increase in flour, fresh milk and ghee rates have diluted the impact of declining LPG prices.

All Sindh Tandoor Roti Association (ASTRA) member Salman Mian said a number of tandoor owners had increased the prices because they could not sustain prices amid rising rates of flour, milk, ghee and packaging materials.

He claimed that those who were selling 130-140 grams of naan at Rs20, are now charging Rs25, while the 180 grams naan now costs Rs30 versus Rs25.

Similarly, tandoors selling sheermal at Rs80 and Rs90 are now demanding Rs90 and Rs100 followed by an increase of Rs10 in kulcha and taftaan rates, he said and added that chapati at a price of Rs20 should be weighed 130-140 grams.

However, there is no scale at shops to check the weight of roti varieties.

He said that the 16kg ghee tin now cost between Rs8,400 and Rs8,600 as compared to Rs8,200 while plastic bag prices also went up. He said labourers were also demanding daily or monthly pay hike after rise in roti rates.

LPG prices have dropped to Rs380-390 from the peak Rs470-480 per kg while it was Rs280-300 ahead of the Middle East war.

“Confusion still prevails over future price of LPG amid uncertainty over the opening and closing of the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.

As per weekly data of SPI ending April 30, 2026, the 11.67 kg cylinder now costs Rs4,435-4,668 as compared to Rs3,384-3,501 ahead of the Middle East war.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2026