ISLAMABAD: Amid rising flour prices across the country, hitting the common and low-income segments hardest, federal food authorities said on Tuesday that the government holds “satisfactory levels” of wheat reserves, which can be released to the provinces to meet their requirements.
Recently, flour prices have surged in the open market, severely affecting low-income and poor segments, as both federal and provincial authorities failed to take timely measures to control prices.
According to reports, wheat flour prices in Pakistan have surged by up to Rs590 per 20kg bag in various parts of the country during the first week of January.
READ MORE: Millers seek immediate wheat stocks release
The highest increase in wheat flour price was recorded in Sargodha, where it increased by Rs590 per 20kg bag, while the lowest increase of Rs40 per 20kg bag was recorded in Lahore from January 1 to January 8, 2026, official data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics revealed.
Across the country, Islamabad Capital Territory has the most expensive 20kg bag of flour, where it has reached Rs2,893.33, while in Faisalabad it has the lowest prices of Rs1810.
Against this backdrop, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar convened a meeting to review Pakistan’s current wheat stocks amid reports that flour prices are being deliberately inflated to generate windfall profits by mill owners and middlemen.
The Deputy Prime Minister took note of the committee’s briefing regarding the “satisfactory levels of wheat reserves” in the country. The federal government currently holds about 2 million metric tons, which can be released to provinces as needed to meet their requirements.
Dar reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring food security and the timely distribution of wheat across Pakistan.
The meeting was attended by SAPM Tariq Bajwa, the Secretary of Food, Chief Secretary, Punjab, TCP officials & senior officials from the relevant ministries.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments