The price of flour in Peshawar has shot up to Rs120 per kilogram, following a Rs20 increase driven by inter-provincial supply restrictions and alleged wheat hoarding.
Flour dealers in the city report that the Punjab government has curtailed the movement of flour to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, triggering a shortfall in the local market.
This disruption has created an opportunity for hoarders to drive up prices, leaving consumers with fewer choices and rising costs.
Dealers caution that unless the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government intervenes swiftly to negotiate with Punjab and take steps against stockpilers, the situation could worsen.
Many fear a continued upward trend in prices, especially with no clear timeline for supply normalization.
The crisis has highlighted vulnerabilities in food supply chains and a lack of coordinated provincial planning in managing essential commodities.
