MINGORA, Nov 20: The prices of the flour have again registered an increase of at least Rs20 per 20-kilogramme bag and the bakers have reduced the weight of the bread.

Liaquat, a flour dealer, told Dawn that the previous year the government had announced a package for the month of Ramazan to provide wheat flour to the consumers on reduced rates.

He said that during the current year the NWFP remained deprived of the facility and thus the rates of the flour was increased.

Mr Liaquat said that as the local flour mills were closed, the merchants brought it from Punjab.

The flour was available in abundance in the open market, but its prices were raised by Rs20 per 20-kilogramme bag and the bakers had reduced the weight of the bread to sell it at the old rates, he added.