By Our Correspondent
LAHORE – A fresh dispute has emerged between the Punjab government and the United Naan Roti Association over the official price of roti, with tandoor owners warning they will increase the price to Rs25 if authorities fail to revise the government-approved rate in line with rising production costs.
The latest disagreement surfaced after a meeting of the Lahore chapter of the United Naan Roti Association, where representatives of bakery and tandoor owners reviewed the impact of increasing flour prices and other operating expenses on their businesses.
Association leaders said the current government-fixed price no longer reflects market realities and has become financially unsustainable for thousands of tandoor operators across Punjab.
According to the association, the sharp increase in flour prices over recent weeks has significantly raised the cost of producing roti, leaving bakery owners with shrinking profit margins and, in many cases, operating losses.
They argued that flour is the primary ingredient used in roti production and any substantial increase in its price directly affects overall production costs.
Besides flour, tandoor owners said they are also struggling with rising prices of cooking fuel, electricity, labour wages, transportation and other essential business expenses.
The association maintained that while production costs have increased steadily, the official roti price has remained unchanged, forcing business owners to bear the financial burden.
Representatives claimed they had repeatedly informed the relevant government departments about the issue and requested an urgent review of the official pricing mechanism.
However, they alleged that no practical solution has yet been offered despite several rounds of communication with the authorities.
Association officials said many small tandoor operators are finding it increasingly difficult to continue business under the existing pricing policy.
They warned that if the government fails to revise the official rate, members of the association will begin selling roti at Rs25 each to recover their production costs.
The organisation also warned that continued inaction could force many tandoor owners to suspend operations, creating supply disruptions and affecting consumers across the province.
In addition to increasing prices, the association announced it was considering protest demonstrations to press the government for immediate action.
Leaders said peaceful protests would remain an option if negotiations fail to produce a mutually acceptable solution.
They stressed that their objective is not to burden consumers but to ensure businesses remain financially viable under current economic conditions.
According to the association, maintaining the existing government-fixed rate while input costs continue to rise is no longer practical.
Food prices have remained a major concern for households across Pakistan, where inflation has increased the cost of essential commodities during the past year.
Bread, including roti and naan, is among the most widely consumed staple foods, making any proposed increase in prices particularly significant for low- and middle-income families.
Economic analysts note that changes in flour prices often have an immediate impact on retail food costs because wheat-based products form an essential part of daily diets.
Consumer groups have urged both the government and business representatives to resolve the dispute through dialogue without placing additional financial pressure on the public.
Many citizens have expressed concern that another increase in roti prices would further raise household expenses at a time when families are already coping with higher costs of food, transport and utilities.
The Punjab government has not yet issued an official response to the latest announcement by the United Naan Roti Association.
Officials are expected to review the association’s demands before deciding whether any revision to the officially notified roti price is necessary.
Until then, uncertainty remains over whether the proposed increase will be implemented or whether negotiations between the government and tandoor owners will produce a compromise acceptable to both sides.
The outcome of the talks is likely to affect thousands of bakery owners, tandoor operators and millions of consumers who depend on roti as an affordable daily food item across Punjab.
