Flour, wheat prices: Acting President HCSTSI concerned at surge

HYDERABAD: The Acting President of the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders & Small Industry (HCSTSI), Ahmed Idrees Chohan, has expressed grave concern over the alarming surge in flour and wheat prices across Sindh, stating that this crisis is a direct result of government negligence, flawed policies, and delays in the timely supply of wheat.

He emphasized that the ultimate burden of these failures is being borne by the common man.He stated that flour mills in Sindh are not being provided wheat at official rates, forcing mill owners to purchase wheat from the open market at inflated prices. As a result, flour prices continue to rise, severely undermining the purchasing power of the general public.

Chohan further pointed out that millions of tons of wheat stored in government warehouses are not being released on time, leading to deterioration in quality and massive financial losses to the national exchequer due to poor storage systems. At the same time, the failure to supply wheat to flour mills and markets in a timely manner creates an artificial shortage.

He added that the situation becomes even more alarming when the government claims to provide subsidies to the public, yet due to poor stock management and delays, the benefits of these subsidies fail to reach the people.

Consequently, the government incurs heavy financial losses while the public continues to suffer from rising prices. He demanded that the government immediately ensure the uninterrupted supply of wheat to flour mills at official rates. He also stressed the urgent need to introduce modern and automated systems for the timely release, proper storage, and transparent distribution of wheat from government warehouses.

Chohan stated that the Hyderabad Chamber has repeatedly raised this issue at the highest levels. He emphasized that to prevent the recurring wheat and flour crisis every year, a permanent and effective mechanism must be established under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, involving the government, flour mills, traders, and all relevant stakeholders.

He further urged that, in view of the upcoming wheat season, clear, timely and practical policies must be formulated to stabilize the market and prevent hoarding and unjustified price hikes.

He said that flour is a basic necessity of life, and any crisis in its availability or affordability is a clear sign of government failure. If immediate corrective measures are not taken, the crisis may worsen further, leading to increased economic hardship and public unrest.

He called upon both the federal and provincial governments to take immediate notice of this grave situation, fix responsibility, and provide lasting relief to the public through an effective, transparent, and sustainable system.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026