Wheat and flour prices: Ishaq Dar orders provinces to raise supply and act on hoarding

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has ordered the federal and provincial governments to increase market supply and take "all necessary measures" to bring rising wheat prices under control, Dawn reported on 25 October. He chaired a cabinet committee on essential commodities on Saturday, 24 October.

What was decided

• More supply in markets, by the centre and the provinces.
• Zero tolerance for hoarding and speculation: authorities were told to watch market networks closely.
• Food security and essential items at reasonable prices were named as government priorities.

The meeting was attended by Food Security Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, SAPM Tariq Bajwa, the food and commerce secretaries and the chief secretaries of all provinces.

What the committee was told

The briefing did not include current flour prices by city, and Dawn's report gave none, so we have not printed any here.

The support price behind it

A day earlier Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif set the indicative wheat support price for 2027 at Rs 4,500 per maund (40 kg), Rs 1,000 above last year. That is about Rs 112.50 a kilo for the grain itself. A higher support price helps growers decide to sow wheat this Rabi season, but traders often price it into today's market too. PTI Kisan Wing's Khalid Nawaz Sadhraich welcomed the price and asked for procurement centres, transparent buying and a complaints system so that farmers actually receive it.

What you can do

If your local shop raises atta prices sharply, report it to your district price control magistrate or the provincial price helpline. For monthly budgeting, our salary breakdown calculator helps you see how much of take-home pay goes on food. Background on seed shortages this season: certified wheat seed covers only 51% of need.