MINGORA: Tandoor owners in Swat have demanded that the price of a 140-gram roti be fixed at Rs40, citing rising flour prices and increased operating costs.
Speaking at a press conference at the Swat Press Club, All Swat Tandoor Owners Association president Liaquat Ali and other office-bearers said the administration had earlier fixed the price of a 120-gram roti at Rs30 when flour prices were lower.
They said the price of a bag of flour had increased again, while the cost of labour, salt, gas, LPG and other inputs had also risen significantly.
According to the tandoor owners, they are currently facing continuous losses at the existing price and weight. They said they had been trying to provide relief to consumers by increasing the weight of roti by 10 to 20 grams on their own, but rising production costs had made it increasingly difficult to sustain the business.
Tandoor owners generally increase the weight of roti when flour prices fall, but maintaining the current price has become difficult due to the recent increase in expenses, they added.
The association also complained that administrative officials were imposing fines on tandoor owners, further aggravating their difficulties.
The tandoor owners demanded that the administration allow a Rs10 increase in the price of roti in view of inflation and rising production costs, after which a 140-gram roti would be sold for Rs40.
They said the proposed increase would enable them to provide consumers with a standard-weight roti while avoiding further losses.
