ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items recorded an upward trend over the past week compared to the previous week, according to a survey conducted by Business Recorder on Saturday.
The survey observed an increase in sugar price which in the wholesales went up from Rs7,300 to Rs7,500 per 50kg bag which in retail market is being sold in the range of Rs160-170 per kg. Wheat flour price remained stable at Rs2,150 per 15kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs2,200 per 15kg bag. However, the tandoor owners have kept the price of Roti, Naan, and Paratha unchanged as Roti being sold at Rs20, Naan at Rs23-25, and Paratha at Rs60. No fluctuation was witnessed in bakery and confectionery item prices as normal-sized bread is available at Rs150 against Rs140, small-sized at Rs110, while family size bread is available at Rs210.
The survey noted a reduction in chicken prices as it went down from Rs15,000 to Rs13,700 per 40kg in wholesale market while in retail, chicken is being sold at Rs365-370 against Rs390-400 per kg, while chicken meat is available in the range of Rs620-670 against Rs650-750 per kg varying area to area. Egg prices remained stable at Rs10,300 per carton containing 30 dozen the wholesale market, while retailers are selling eggs in the range of Rs340-360 per dozen. Mutton and beef prices remained stable as normal quality mutton is available at Rs2,400 per kg while the best quality is being sold in the range of Rs2,700-2,800 per kg, normal quality boneless beef is available at Rs1,500 per kg, and normal mixed beef at Rs1,300 per kg. Various varieties of fish are available in the range of Rs600 to Rs1000per kg.
The survey observed no changes in ghee/cooking oil prices as B-grade ghee/oil is available at Rs6,250 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs410 per pack of 900 grams, while the best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee price also remained stable at Rs2,820 per 5kg tin which in retail are being sold at Rs2,900 per 5-litre bottle.
No changes were witnessed in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as officially the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has set the commodity price at Rs219.67 per kilogram, however the retailers are selling LPG at much higher rates as per kg LPG is being sold in the range of Rs330-350 against official rate of Rs219.67 while a domestic cylinder containing 15 kg LPG is being sold at Rs4,700 against Rs3,295, reflecting an overcharging of Rs1,405 per domestic cylinder of 15kg.
The marketing companies, distributors and retailers all are overcharging per domestic cylinder by 1,405 per cylinder and per kg by Rs130-150 as OGRA and other relevant authorities which include which local representatives, Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Tehsildars, Representatives of traders, farmers and retailers aren’t trying to monitor the market situation to enforce the official rates as a result consumers are compelled to pay high rates.
The prices of the various varieties of rice also remained stable as the top quality basmati rice in wholesale market is available at Rs11,900 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs340 per kg, normal quality Basmati at Rs10,300 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per kg, and good quality broken Basmati at Rs7,700 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per kg, while normal quality Basmati at Rs5,000-5,900 per 40kg bag which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs140-180 per kg.
No changes were witnessed in tea prices, as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,200 per 900 grams pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs1,800 per kg; turmeric powder and chilli powder prices witnessed no changes as turmeric powder is available Rs650 per kg in wholesale market which retailers are selling in the range of Rs700-1,000 per kg and red chilli powder price remained stable at Rs600 per kg which retailers selling at Rs700-850 per kg.
The prices of cooked food items remained stable as a cooked dal/vegetable plate at a normal hotel is available at Rs320, a cooked beef plate at Rs550, a cooked chicken plate at Rs500, cooked mutton at Rs750, and naan/roti is being sold at Rs25/30 and a cup of tea in the range of Rs70-100 per cup.
No changes were witnessed in the prices of branded spices such as Shan, National, and others, which are available at Rs150 per 39-gram pack. However, traders had told this correspondent that the suppliers have increased the rate of sachet pack from Rs70 to Rs80 and are all set to further increase the spices prices by Rs10 per pack prior to Ramazan.
Pulse prices witnessed no changes in wholesale as well as in retail market as maash pulse is available at Rs12,800 per 40kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs400-460 per kg, gram pulse price in wholesale market is available at Rs8,000 per 40kg which in retail is being sold at Rs240-250, best quality whole gram pulse wholesale is available at Rs9,500 which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs280-Rs300 per kg while normal gram pulse at Rs260 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils in the range of Rs400-500 per kg, moong pulse is available at Rs360, and masoor pulse is available at Rs260 per kg.
With Ramazan arriving the producers have increased the prices of packed milk brands such Milk-Pak, Olpers, and others as per carton of litre pack is available at Rs4,300 against Rs3800-4000 per carton, while in retail it is being sold at Rs380 per litre against 360 per litre, the price of a carton of 250ml packed milk went up from Rs2,400 to Rs2,500 which in market is being sold at Rs100 against Rs95 per 250ml. Fresh milk prices in some parts of the twin cities are being sold at Rs250 per litre, while in some parts are still being sold at Rs240 per litre, and the yogurt price is stable at Rs250 per kg. No changes were observed in the prices of powder milk, such as Nido and Lactogen, as 400-gram Nido powder milk is available at Rs1,350, and a 200 gram pack at Rs750 per pack.
Overall bathing soaps’ prices remained stable as Safeguard is available at Rs165 per pack, while Dettol, Lux, Palmolives, and others are available at Rs180 per pack, and detergent prices, such as Ariel Surf, Brite, Express Power, and others also remained stable at Rs530per kg pack. The prices of various brands of cold drinks such as Pepsi, Coke, Miranda, and others remained stable as a family-size bottle is available at Rs230.
Overall vegetable prices witnessed an increasing trend. Potatoes price remained stable at Rs1,100-1,300 per quintal, while retailers are selling potatoes in the range of Rs40-60 per kg against the government fixed price of Rs19-24 per kg; onion price in wholesale market went up from 1,500-3,800 to Rs1,800-4,000 per quintal, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs40-60 while the government fixed price is Rs28-53 per kg and tomato prices went remained stable at Rs700 per basket of 15kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-100 against official price of Rs50-77 per kg.
Ginger price went down from 1,000-1,100 to Rs900-1,000 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs350-400 against official rate of Rs220-275 per kg, garlic prices remained stable as local garlic is available at Rs450 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs200-250, while official rate is set at Rs143-175 per kg, Quetta garlic price remained stable at Rs1,200 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs300-350 per kg against official rate of Rs253-303 per kg and China garlic price is stable Rs1,700 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs400-450 per kg against government has set China garlic rate at Rs385-445 per kg, however majority of vendors are selling local garlic in the name of China/Quetta to maximize their profits.
Capsicum price went up from Rs450 to Rs475 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs130-150 against official price is fixed at Rs110-127per kg, prices of various varieties of pumpkins went up from Rs150-200 to Rs170-300 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs60-120 against Rs55-90 while official price is set at Rs44-94 per kg; various types of tinda price went up from Rs400-450 to Rs400-500 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-150 against Rs120-140 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs120-120 per kg; eggplant price went down from Rs300 to Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-100 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs66-72 per kg; cauliflower price is stable at Rs150 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs50-60 while official price is fixed at Rs38-44 per kg and cabbage price remained stable at Rs230 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs65-75 against official price of Rs55-60 per kg, fresh-bean price went down from Rs300 to Rs200 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-80 against Rs90-100 while official price is fixed at Rs66-72 per kg, peas price went up from Rs250 to Rs275 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-90 while official rate is fixed at Rs66-77 per kg. Okra price went up from Rs850 to Rs1,000 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs250-275 per kg against Rs225-250 while official rate is fixed at Rs210-242 per kg, carrot price went up from Rs120 to Rs150 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs50-70 per kg against Rs45-60 while government rate is fixed at Rs38-44 per kg, bitterguard price went up fro Rs300 to Rs350 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs100-110 against Rs90-100 per kg while official rate is fixed at 85-94 per kg.
The official rate list is issued after close collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders with giving a profit margin of Rs10 per kg to the sellers around the wholesale market Rs15-25 per kg profit margin to most parts of the capital city and Rs20-40 profit margin for the sellers in posh areas. But still no vender, pushcart holder and shopkeeper is following the official price list.
Overall fruit prices witnessed an increasing trend as bananas price went up from Rs80-175 against Rs90-220 per dozen, various varieties of apples in the range of Rs165-500 against Rs120-400 per kg, with white apples at Rs165 per kg cheapest and Iranian Kalakilo apple at Rs500 per kg, guava in the range of Rs60-110 against Rs70-120 against per kg, various varieties of oranges in the range of Rs75-350 against Rs60-300 per dozen, various varieties of grapes in the range of Rs300-600 against Rs275-500 per kg and pomegranates in the range of Rs400-600 against Rs400-650 per kg.
People have urged the authorities to either enforce an official price list or stop doing such an exercise which has no benefit to the masses.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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