ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items especially rice, eggs and some spices have witnessed an increasing trend during the last week compared with the preceding week, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Saturday.
The survey observed a reduction of Rs800 per 40 kg of chicken price as it went down from Rs12,000 to Rs11,200 per 40 kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs320-340 against Rs340-350 per kg, while chicken meat price went down from Rs450-500 to Rs410-440 per kg varying area to area. Egg price with an increase of 900 per carton went up from Rs5,000 to Rs5,900 per carton containing 30 dozen in the wholesale market, while in retail eggs are being sold in the range of Rs225-235 against Rs215-225 per dozen. Meat prices remained stable as normal quality mutton is available in the range of Rs2,700 - 2,800 per kg, the best quality in the range of Rs3,000 - 3,200 per kg, normal quality boneless beef at Rs1,700 per kg, and normal mixed beef at Rs1,500 per kg. Prices of the various varieties of fish also remained stable as different varieties of fishes are available in the range of Rs550-1,000 per kg.
Sugar price went down from Rs7,100 to Rs7,000 per 50 kg bag in wholesale markets, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs150-160 per kg. Wheat flour price went down from Rs1,800 to Rs1,775 per 15 kg bag in the wholesale market, while in retail it is being sold at Rs1,810-1,830 against Rs1,830-1,850 per 15kg bag. Roti, Naan and Paratha prices remained stable as roti is being sold at Rs20, Naan at Rs30, and Paratha at Rs60. No changes were observed in bakery and confectionery items. Normal-sized bread is available at Rs150 against Rs140, small-sized bread at Rs110, and family-sized bread at Rs210.
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, while at some tea stalls a cup of tea price has reduced from Rs70 to Rs50, however majority of the restaurant operators are selling a cup of tea in the range of Rs70-100 per cup.
No changes were observed in branded spices prices which at present are being supplied under a special promotional scheme by the produces by reducing the spices price from Rs150 per 39-gram pack to Rs130 per pack. Ghee/cooking oil prices remained stable as B-grade ghee/oil price is stable at Rs6,600 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is still being sold at Rs430 per pack of 900 grams, while the best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee is available at Rs2,880 per 5kg tin which in retail are being sold at Rs3,000 per 5-litre bottle.
Officially, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has fixed Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price at Rs308.76 per kilogram, however the LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are selling LPG in the range of Rs425-450 per kg against official the rate, while a domestic LPG cylinder containing 15 kg at Rs6,600 which is Rs1,968 higher than the official rate of Rs4,631. The phenomenon reflects that LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are overcharging the consumers by Rs118-142 per kg and Rs1,968 per domestic cylinder of 15 kg, as OGRA and other relevant authorities which include 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 over the past eight years.
The prices of the various varieties of rice witnessed a significant increase as the top quality basmati rice price went up from Rs13,000 to Rs1,5000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs430 against Rs380 per kg, normal quality Basmati from Rs11,500 to Rs13,000 per 40 kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs375 against Rs340 per kg, and good quality broken Basmati from Rs8,700 to Rs10,500 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 against Rs260 per kg, while normal quality broken Basmati from Rs6,500-7,000 to Rs7,500-8,000 per 40kg bag which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs200-220 against Rs160-210 per kg.
Tea prices also witnessed a mixed trend, as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,000 per 900 grams pack and Islamabad Tea price went up from Rs1,700 to Rs1,800 per kg; turmeric powder price in wholesale market went up from Rs550 to Rs650 per kg while retailers are selling it in the range of Rs800-1,000 against Rs750-800 per kg and red chilli powder price also went up from Rs550 to Rs650 per kg, which retailers selling at Rs800-1,000 against Rs750-800 per kg. Pulses prices witnessed no changes as maash pulse in wholesale market is available at Rs13,500 per 40kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs420-450 per kg, gram pulse at Rs8,500 per 40 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs250-260 per kg, best quality whole gram at Rs9,200 per 40kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs270-290 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils at Rs15,200-17,200, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs410-520 per kg, moong pulse at Rs12,000 per 40kg, which in retail is available at Rs330 per kg, and masoor pulse at Rs8,300 per 40 kg which in retail is available at Rs260 per kg.
Packed milk prices such as Milk-Pak, Olpers, and others witnessed slight increase as per carton of litre pack went up from Rs4,200 to Rs4,250 per carton, while in retail per litre pack is being sold at Rs380 against Rs370 per pack and the price of a carton of 250ml went up from Rs2,500 to Rs2,530 per carton which in market is being sold at Rs100 per 250ml. Fresh milk price across the twin cities went up from Rs250 to Rs260 per litre, while in some parts especially posh sectors fresh milk is being sold at 280 per litre, and the yogurt price in most parts of the twin cities went up from Rs250 to Rs280 per kg, while in posh sectors it is being sold in the range of Rs280-300 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 Rs1,100, and a 200 gram pack at Rs750 per pack.
Overall bathing soaps’ prices remained stable as Safeguard family size 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 went up from Rs580 to Rs600 per kg pack. The prices of various brands of soft drinks such as Pepsi, Coke, Miranda, and others remained stable as a family-size bottle is available at Rs230.
The vegetable prices witnessed a declining trend. Potatoes price went slightly down from Rs4,100-2,300 to Rs1300-2,200 per quintal, while retailers are selling potatoes in the range of Rs50-60 per kg and official price is fixed at Rs22-37 per kg; onion price both in wholesale and retail market remained stable as in wholesale market onions are available at Rs3,800-6,600 per quintal, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-100 per kg while official rate is set at Rs55-88 per kg and tomato price went up from Rs1,300 to Rs1,700 per basket of 15kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs140-180 against Rs120-150 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs109-150 per kg. Ginger price remained stable at Rs1,350 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450-500 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs363-399 per kg, various varieties of garlic prices remained stable as garlic is available in the range of Rs450-1,300 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs150-500 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs133-349 per kg.
Capsicum price went up from R800 to Rs850 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs220-250 per kg, while official price is fixed at Rs182-206 per kg, prices of various varieties of pumpkins went down from Rs220-350 to Rs200-275 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs60-90 against Rs65-100 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs50-75 per kg; various types of tinda prices went down from Rs350-950 to Rs300-750 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-230 against Rs100-260 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs75-169 per kg; eggplant price went down from Rs350 to Rs275 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-90 against Rs90-100 per kg while official is set at Rs67-73 per kg; cauliflower price went down from Rs750 to Rs700 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs180-200 against Rs200-230 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs157-182 per kg, turnip price remained stable at Rs175 per 5 kg which in retail are being sold at Rs60-70 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs48-55 per kg and cabbage price remained stable at Rs175 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs60-70 against Rs70-80 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs61-67 per kg, fresh-bean price remained stable at Rs500 per 5 kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-160 per kg, while official rate is set at Rs121-133 per kg, peas price went down from Rs850 to Rs750 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs180-200 against Rs200-230 per kg while official rate is set at Rs169-182 per kg. Okra price went down from Rs450 to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs110-130 against Rs120-150 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs97-109 per kg, carrot price remained stable at Rs450 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs110-130 per kg while government fixed rate is Rs109-121 per kg, bitter-gourd price is stable at Rs230 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-80 per kg while official price is set at Rs67-73 per kg. green chilli price went up from Rs350 to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-150 against Rs90-120 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs97-109, taro root price went down from Rs700 to Rs450 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs125-140 against Rs170-200 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs97-109 per kg, cucumber price went up from Rs350 to Rs450 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs150-170 against Rs90-110 per kg, while official price is fixed at Rs109-116 per kg and ridge gourd price went down from Rs225 to Rs200 per 5kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs70-80 against Rs75-90 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs55-61 per kg.
The official rate list is issued after close collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders with a profit margin of Rs10-20 per kg to the sellers around the wholesale market at Rs15-30 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 vendor, pushcart holder and shopkeeper is following the official price list.
Overall fruit prices witnessed a mixed trend as bananas price remained stable in the range of Rs100-230 per dozen, various varieties of apple are available in the range of Rs200-480 per kg, with white apples at Rs200 per kg cheapest and Pakistani Kalakilo apple at Rs480 per kg the expensive, mangoes in the range of Rs120-400 against Rs130-300 per kg, apricots are available in the range of Rs180-300 per kg, peach in the range of Rs130-275 per kg, various varieties of melon in the range of Rs60-170 per kg, various varieties of water-melon in the range of Rs30-50 per kg, berries in the range of Rs100-130 per kg, plump in the range of Rs350-550 per kg and cherry in the range of Rs450-600 per pack of 500 grams.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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