Bread and Naan Prices Rise in Lahore as Bakers Cite Flour Costs

LAHORE: Bread and naan prices have increased in Lahore as bakery owners cited rising wheat and flour prices, despite existing government rates.

Earlier, the Naanbai Association announced that the price of a regular roti would increase from Rs14 to Rs20, while naan would be sold for Rs30, attributing the hike to higher flour costs.

The United Naanbai Association has now announced another increase, saying that with the price of a 20-kilogram flour bag reaching Rs2,400 and refined flour costing Rs12,000, it will sell plain roti for Rs25 and naan for Rs35. The association warned that if authorities attempted to stop the increase, bakery owners would shut down their tandoors in protest.

The association argued that it is impossible to sell roti at the government-fixed rate of Rs16 due to the rising costs of flour, LPG, and shopping bags. It urged the government to hold negotiations within the next three days.

The district administration, however, maintained that there is no justification for another price increase after a previous hike. Officials said the public would not be deprived of affordable bread and warned that action would be taken against anyone imposing unilateral price increases.

Meanwhile, bread prices have also risen in several areas of Karachi, where roti that previously sold for Rs20 is now being sold for Rs25.