The rising prices of essential kitchen commodities are putting further pressure on household budgets, particularly those of middle- and lower-income families. After a sharp increase in sugar prices, retail rates of unbranded chakki atta have risen by Rs 3 per kg and those of branded atta by about Rs 1 per kg.Naresh Ghai, president of the Punjab Roller Flour Mills Association, confirmed the development and said this rise in wheat flour prices had been witnessed across the country.He said Punjab has about 90 roller flour mills and thousands of atta chakkis, adding that all of them had increased the price.Ghai said the central government had procured 122 lakh tonnes of wheat from Punjab during the April harvest season, accounting for 98 per cent of the state’s wheat production. The remaining two per cent was stocked by flour millers. With this stock exhausted, millers were now buying wheat from other states, he said.“This happens every year after the procurement season,” Ghai said, stressing, “Punjab is both a major wheat-producing and wheat-consuming state. After procurement season is over, Punjab becomes wheat deficient. The Union government should come out with a special policy for the state as it has been the country’s food bowl.”Raghav Arora, another flour miller, said wheat was procured at the MSP of Rs 2,585 per quintal in April, whereas millers were now buying the same quantity at approximately Rs 2,800. He added that since millers were not doing any value addition to the product, the increase in atta prices largely reflected the higher cost of wheat and processing.On the other hand, big branded companies are already charging high prices between Rs 420 to Rs 460 for a 10-kg-bag. Yet a big brand delivered the new lot of flour with a price tag of Rs 500 on its 10-kg-bag. Earlier, the price was Rs 489.Retail grocer Buta Ram said he was selling 10-kg bags of unbranded wheat flour for Rs 350 after wholesalers raised their rates from Rs 315.“I do not sell branded atta since majority of my customers come from middle- and lower-middle-income families,” he said.Meanwhile, sugar prices have climbed to Rs 70-75 per kg in the retail market, depending on quality. Mustard oil has also become significantly costlier, with prices rising by about 20 per cent in the past month. Unbranded mustard oil is being sold at Rs 180 per litre, which was Rs 140 over a month ago. Branded bottles of mustard oil are available at around Rs 220 per litre.Retail inflation on food and fuel price hike drives up daily household expenses. Hira Singh, a roadside vendor, said higher petrol, diesel and LPG prices, coupled with increase in atta, sugar and mustard oil, had raised his family’s daily living cost. All these commodities are a staple diet in their routine kitchen item.