Flour, onion, sugar prices rise

In an already struggling environment, the surging prices of wheat flour, onion and sugar have added salt to the wounds of low- and middle-income households. The price of onion, a high-running staple food of almost every household, has jumped to Rs200-220 per kg from Rs150-180 per kg last week, while it was tagged at Rs120-150 per kg two weeks back. While retailers continued to blame higher onion exports to various countries, President Falahi Anjuman Wholesale Vegetable Market, Super Highway, Haji Shajahan reiterated that the wholesale rates had swelled up to Rs7,000 per 40kg two days back from Rs4,500-5,000 due to lifting of onion in bulk quantities by the exporters to cash on the ban imposed by India on onion exports till March 2024. He said the wholesale rate, however, reverted to Rs5,500-6,000 per 40kg after the improved supply from the country’s producing areas but it is hard to predict the future trend.