By: Hamdullah
ABBOTTABAD: Naanbais in Abbottabad have raised the price of bread, which is now being sold at Rs 25 per loaf. Previously, they claimed to sell loaves weighing less than 80 grams for Rs 20 and loaves weighing up to 120 grams for Rs 25, leading the public to find bread expensive following the recent hike in flour prices. In other districts of Hazara, 100 grams of bread is sold for Rs 20.
In Abbottabad city, the price of a sack of fine flour has exceeded Rs 11,000, prompting bakers to request an increase in bread prices due to their losses. Although an official price list has not been issued, the in-house administration has insisted that bread should be sold for Rs 25, even when the actual cost of producing it is significantly lower.
A baker, who wishes to remain anonymous, disclosed that selling a loaf for Rs 20 costs them around Rs 25,000 in total, with production costs ranging from Rs 18,000 to Rs 19,000. Tandoors that operate with this pricing model are saving thousands of rupees daily, yet they continue to impose additional costs on consumers.
According to Sajjad Khan, General Secretary of the All Traders Federation, Naanbai were not provided with a new rate by the Price Review Committee. As a result of the increased flour costs, they have been compelled to sell bread priced at Rs 25 for 120 to 130 grams. Reports of any bakers selling less weight than this should be reported to the administration, which has promised to take strict action against offenders.
It is important to note that the district administration has not issued any notification regarding a price increase for bread; however, during negotiations, they permitted bakers to sell bread for an additional Rs 5. In contrast, no increase in bread prices has been observed in other districts of Hazara, such as Haripur, Mansehra, and Battagram.
