Pakistan Flour Mills Association (PFMA-Punjab) has increased the 20 kilograms flour bag price by Rs 20 after which it will be available at Rs 720 per bag instead of Rs 700 to the consumers. The Association cited hike in wheat prices in the open market as cause of this increase. A former PFMA Chairman Mian Riaz said that the price of wheat had gone to Rs 1320 per maund from Rs 1280 per maund in the open market.
A former President and Group leader Asim Raza Ahmad in a statement here Tuesday said that the prices of flour bags in Punjab were fixed some three years back at Rs 770 per 20 kilograms bag at retail level. Nevertheless, flour bags are being sold on lower than the official rates in the market for last three years because of lower commodity rate and still available on rate lower than the official price. Asim said that high quality bag was available at Rs 740 per bag and the change made in the flour bag yesterday was because of the increase in the rate of wheat in the open market.