Lahore Bakers Hike Naan Price to Rs35 Amid Rising Production Costs

LAHORE: In a unilateral decision that adds to the economic strain on daily wage earners and urban households, tandoor operators and nanbais across Lahore have increased the retail price of standard naan by Rs5, taking it from Rs30 to Rs35 per piece. The price of basic roti has temporarily been maintained at the existing rate of Rs20, according to local market vendors across the provincial capital.

Representatives of local nanbai associations defended the sudden hike, arguing that spiraling operational overheads have made previous price ceilings economically unviable. Bakery owners cited steep increases in the commercial prices of fine wheat flour (maida), commercial gas tariffs, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders, electricity bills, and essential baking ingredients such as sesame seeds as the primary triggers compelling them to adjust retail rates without formal regulatory approval.

The unauthorized revision has sparked immediate resentment among consumers, who continue to grapple with persistent food inflation and escalating utility costs. For millions of lower- and middle-income citizens in urban Punjab, tandoors serve as the principal source of daily sustenance. Civil society groups and consumer rights advocates pointed out that arbitrary price jumps in staple commodities disproportionately penalize vulnerable communities, urging provincial authorities to establish transparent and enforceable pricing mechanisms.

District administration officials and price control magistrates are expected to initiate monitoring drives across Lahore’s major commercial zones to evaluate compliance with officially notified food price schedules. While past enforcement operations against non-compliant tandoor owners frequently led to brief shutter-down strikes by nanbai unions, local administrative bodies have indicated that negotiations will be convened shortly to prevent further unregulated increases in essential food staples.