The Karachi administration has issued a fresh price list for flour, but millers say the official rates are too low to implement, widening the gap between government prices and those charged in the market.

Under a notification issued by the Karachi commissioner, the official retail price of regular flour has been fixed at Rs125 per kilogram, while fine flour will be sold at Rs135 per kilogram and chakki flour at Rs145 per kilogram.

The notification also sets the wholesale price of regular flour at Rs122 per kilogram and fine flour at Rs132 per kilogram.

Despite the revised rates, flour millers and chakki owners have rejected the pricing, arguing that soaring wheat costs have made it impossible to sell flour at government-fixed prices without incurring losses.

According to market estimates, regular flour is currently selling between Rs145 and Rs150 per kilogram, while fine flour is available for Rs160 to Rs170 per kilogram. Chakki flour is being sold at around Rs160 per kilogram.

Flour Mills Association Chairman Mohammad Anis said wheat is currently trading at around Rs116 per kilogram in the open market, with prices fluctuating almost daily.

He warned the Sindh Food Department that mills cannot purchase wheat at prevailing market rates and simultaneously comply with the official flour prices.

According to the association, the government’s pricing mechanism is only workable when subsidised wheat is supplied to flour mills, a practice that is not currently in place.