Investing in logistics and transportation infrastructure helps create a unified market. A unified market means goods move more smoothly across regions. This reduces price differences for important items like wheat. When roads and railways are broken or missing, local supply and demand imbalances cause big price gaps between today’s towns and cities.

Our empirical insight on wheat price variation shows this clearly. After digitizing CPI data, we found 10–20% price differences in wheat across Pakistan. In Balochistan and Sindh, wheat prices are usually above the national average. In Punjab, prices are often below average. This makes sense because Punjab is close to wheat production areas and has better transport networks.

Why do these price variations happen? First, high transport costs in remote areas push up wheat prices. If roads are poor or distances are long, truck drivers, farmers, and shopkeepers all face extra fuel costs. They pass these costs on to consumers. Second, limited market access in underdeveloped regions forces people to buy from small shops at higher prices rather than from big wholesale markets. Third, weak storage and distribution infrastructure—such as cold chains and warehouses—leads to waste and inefficiencies. When wheat does not move quickly or is stored poorly, prices rise. Fourth, supply chain disruptions from political unrest, floods, or road blockages hit peripheral provinces harder. When goods cannot arrive on time, local sellers raise prices even more.

These issues show why building hardcore transport infrastructure is vital. Better roads, rail lines, and cold chain logistics can narrow regional price gaps and boost economic equity. If Pakistan improves its transport network, truck drivers can deliver wheat faster, farmers can sell their crops at fair prices, and families in all regions can buy wheat at a normal rate.

To explore these trends in depth, visit our dashboard. It maps wheat price differences and shows how each province fares:
https://galluppakistandigitalanalytics.com/prices-in-pakistan-dashboard/

By focusing on logistics infrastructure in Pakistan, wheat price variation, and regional transport networks, we can move toward a unified market. This will help every family get food at fair prices and support a stronger economy for all.