MANSEHRA, April 26: The prices of different varieties of rice have shot up by 25 per cent as the flour crisis continued in the Hazara region, sources told Dawn on Saturday.

They said people in Mansehra, Battagram and Kohistan districts were suffering from stomach-related diseases as low quality flour was being sold in the markets. The Utility Stores were thronged with people in Mansehra city, where the price of a 20-kg flour bag was Rs350 while in the open market it was available between Rs400 and Rs500.

Residents said that for the first time women were seen standing in long queues in front of the Utility Stores in the city to get flour at affordable prices.

During a visit of local markets, this scribe found that the prices of commodities were skyrocketing.

The rates of different varieties of rice showed an increase of 15 to 25 per cent during the last three days.

Manager of a store at Channai said that the Utility Stores Corporation had revised the prices of rice on April 23. According to the revised rates, a 5-kg packet of Carnal Basmati was being sold at Rs360 against the previous rate of Rs300.

Selah rice 5-kg packet was being sold at Rs375 instead of Rs315 and Tota Basmati 5-kg packet was sold at Rs195 against the earlier price of Rs165.

The rates obtained from the open market revealed that Carnal Basmati was being sold at Rs75 instead of Rs60 per/kg, Selah at Rs80 instead of Rs65, Tota Basmati at Rs45 instead of Rs35 per/kg and Sada (local) rice at Rs50 instead of Rs35 per/kg.