KARACHI: While the massive increase in prices of diesel, milk and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has taken its toll on consumers, the manufacturers of branded bread and other related items have also decided to raise the prices of their products by an average 13 per cent from Friday (today).

The prices of two hot selling items on the roads — chai and paratha — largely consumed by daily wagers, workers and labourers — have also started to crawl up due to higher milk and LPG prices.

As buses, minibuses and Qingqi rickshaws have increased the fares by Rs10-30, depending on the length of the route, people face another challenge of paying rising tea and paratha prices.

A tea seller in Federal B Area said he had increased the rates of chai and paratha after the massive rise in LPG price, which has reached Rs470 per kg from Rs280 followed by Rs20 per litre rise in loose milk price, which is now selling at Rs240 per litre in some areas.

Soaring LPG, transportation cost blamed for the increase

After a jump of Rs10, the tea seller said one Doodh pati and one Doodh Pati Cut now cost Rs80 and Rs60 while one cup of green tea was being sold at Rs80.

Small regular paratha and pizza paratha are now being sold at Rs60 and Rs110.

“It is really hard to pay over Rs20,000 for getting a 45kg gas cylinder,” he said, adding that he could not say that the demand of these items had dwindled after the price hike.

He said that the prices of their eateries were still low when compared with the prices being charged at big hotels and restaurants and even at decorated tea stalls.

The price of an egg omelette is Rs50 despite a drop in one egg rate to Rs20 from Rs25 a month back.

Another tea seller on I.I. Chundrigar Road said he was considering jacking up the rate of Doodh Pati and Doodh Pati Cut in a couple of days to Rs90-100 from Rs80 and Rs60 from Rs50 on account of rising cost.

“We cannot sustain the price surge in milk and LPG rates,” he added.

Bread, school bun, rusk, etc

General Secretary of Karachi Bread Association (KBA) Haroon Iqbal Sheikh told Dawn that rates of large, medium and small size bread had been increased from Rs210, Rs150 and Rs110 to Rs240, Rs180 and Rs130, respectively. The new rates will come into effect from April 10.

Bran bread and school bun will cost Rs180 and Rs25 versus Rs150 and Rs20.

The packet of four burger buns and one burger roll will be Rs130 and Rs45 as compared to Rs110 and Rs40.

Rusk small and large packet prices have been raised to Rs90 and Rs170 from Rs80 and Rs150.

Dashing hopes of reversal in prices, the KBA general secretary said: “New prices will remain intact as we are revising the prices after almost two years despite increase in super fine flour rate to Rs6,500 from Rs5,200 per 50kg bag.”

The plastic packaging cost for wrapping up small bread has also reportedly surged to Rs4 from Rs2.50 while big bread plastic pack costs Rs6.50 as compared to Rs4.

He said the huge rise in diesel prices from Rs335 per litre to Rs520 raised transportation cost.

The share of distribution cost in total production of bread and bread related items is 30-40pc, he added.

Published in Dawn, April 10th, 2026