ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items have increased this week compared with the previous week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Saturday revealed.
Traders told this correspondent that the prices of household items, including edible items, detergents, shampoos, formula milk and other essentials, have continued to rise over the past eight months following the Middle East crisis. They said the situation had worsened with the expansion of the war to Yemen, which disrupted fuel supplies through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, further aggravating supply disruptions and pushing prices higher.
The traders said the prices of daily-use items had increased by at least 30-50 percent since March 2026 owing to higher transportation costs, electricity bills, gas prices and other input costs. They said that prices of vegetables, fruits and other edible items at the farm level had declined over the past three weeks, but high transportation fares and other input costs were preventing suppliers from passing on the benefits to end consumers. Moreover, this situation had also increased the cost of school uniforms, notebooks, shoes, school van fares and other household essentials.
The survey observed a slight decline in chicken prices, with the wholesale price falling from Rs14,500 to Rs14,100 per 40kg. In the retail market, chicken is being sold at Rs375-400 per kg, compared with Rs380-410 per kg previously, while chicken meat is available at Rs550-630 per kg, depending on the area. Egg prices remained stable at Rs7,300 per carton containing 30 dozen in the wholesale market, while retail prices ranged from Rs265 to Rs275 per dozen. Meat prices also remained unchanged, with normal-quality mutton available at Rs2,750-2,850 per kg and premium-quality mutton at Rs3,100-3,300 per kg. Normal-quality boneless beef was available at Rs1,750 per kg, while mixed beef was priced at Rs1,550 per kg. Prices of various varieties of fish also remained unchanged, with different varieties available at Rs600-1,200 per kg.
The wholesale price of sugar remained stable at Rs6,800 per 50kg bag, while retail prices ranged from Rs150 to Rs160 per kg against the officially fixed rate of Rs140 per kg.
The wholesale price of wheat flour declined slightly from Rs2,350 to Rs2,320 per 15kg bag, while the retail price fell to Rs2,380 from Rs2,400 per 15kg bag. No changes were observed in the prices of cooked roti, naan and paratha, with roti available at Rs25, naan at Rs30 and paratha at Rs60-70. Tandoor owners expressed serious concern over the continued increases in the prices of gas, electricity, petrol, diesel and other inputs, saying the rising costs were forcing them to close their businesses. Prices of bakery and confectionery items, which had already increased, remained unchanged during the week. A regular-sized loaf of bread was available at Rs180, a small-sized loaf at Rs130 and a family-sized loaf at Rs240.
Prices of cooked food items also remained unchanged. A plate of cooked lentils or vegetables at a regular restaurant was available at Rs350, a plate of beef at Rs680, a plate of chicken at Rs530, a plate of mutton at Rs800 and a serving of nihari at Rs600. A cup of tea at most hotels and restaurants was available at Rs80-100, although some restaurant operators were still selling it for Rs50-60 per cup.
Spice suppliers, including Shan, National, Deewan and others, have also increased the prices of their entire range of products by Rs10 per pack, citing higher input costs. Various spices are now available at Rs160, compared with Rs150 per 39-gram pack.
Ghee and cooking oil prices witnessed a slight decline. The wholesale price of B-grade ghee/cooking oil fell from Rs7,300 to Rs7,100 per carton of 16 packs, while the retail price stands at Rs460-470 per 900-gram pack. The price of premium-quality ghee and cooking oil brands also declined. Dalda ghee, for instance, fell from Rs2,970 to Rs2,950 per 5kg tin, while a 5-litre bottle is being sold at Rs3,100 in the retail market.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has officially announced an increase of Rs20 per kg in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for October, fixing the rate at Rs270 per kg, compared with Rs250 per kg previously. However, LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are selling the commodity at more than double the official price in some areas. In the hilly areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, LPG is being sold at Rs550-650 per kg, while in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, prices range from Rs410 to Rs420 per kg, against the official rate.
A domestic LPG cylinder containing 15kg is being sold for Rs7,000, compared with the official price of Rs4,200. This indicates that LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are overcharging consumers by Rs140-150 per kg in the hilly areas, Rs140-150 per kg in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, and Rs2,800 per 15kg domestic cylinder. OGRA and district authorities, including local representatives, commissioners, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, tehsildars and magistrates, have failed to enforce official prices in the market.
Prices of various varieties of rice remained stable. Premium-quality basmati rice is available at Rs13,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market and Rs380 per kg in retail. Normal-quality basmati rice is priced at Rs11,500 per 40kg wholesale and Rs330 per kg retail. Good-quality broken basmati rice is available at Rs9,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs260 per kg retail, while normal-quality broken basmati rice is priced at Rs7,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs200-220 per kg retail.
Tea prices remained unchanged, with Lipton Yellow Label available at Rs2,000 per 900-gram pack and Islamabad Tea at Rs1,900 per kg.
The wholesale price of turmeric powder remained stable at Rs550 per kg, while retail prices range from Rs700 to Rs850 per kg. The wholesale price of red chilli powder also remained unchanged at Rs550 per kg, while retailers are selling it at Rs750-850 per kg. However, some retailers are charging as much as Rs900-1,000 per kg amid ineffective monitoring by district authorities.
Prices of various pulses remained stable. Maash pulse is available at Rs15,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market and Rs450-470 per kg in retail. Gram is priced at Rs9,500 per 40kg wholesale and Rs260-280 per kg retail, while premium-quality whole gram is available at Rs10,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs300-320 per kg retail. Various varieties of bean pulses are priced at Rs16,000-17,700 per 40kg wholesale and Rs440-520 per kg retail. Moong pulse is available at Rs10,500 per 40kg wholesale and Rs300 per kg retail, while masoor pulse is priced at Rs9,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs280 per kg retail.
Prices of packaged milk brands, including MilkPak, Olper’s and others, remained unchanged. A carton containing one-litre packs is available at Rs4,250, while a one-litre pack is being sold at Rs380 in the retail market. The price of a carton containing 250ml packs also remained stable at Rs2,530, while a single 250ml pack is being sold at Rs100. The price of fresh milk remained stable at Rs260 per litre, although it is being sold at Rs280-300 per litre in some areas, particularly upscale sectors. The price of yoghurt also remained unchanged at Rs280 per kg, while in upscale sectors it is available at Rs300-330 per kg. Formula milk prices witnessed an increase. The prices of Nido and Lactogen powdered milk packs also increased. Nido and Lactogen 400-gram packs were previously priced at Rs1,100 and Rs1,450, respectively, while the price of a 200-gram pack increased from Rs750 to Rs850.
Overall, prices of bathing soaps remained stable, with a family-sized pack of Safeguard available at Rs175, while Dettol, Lux, Palmolive and other brands were priced at Rs160 per pack. However, detergent prices, including those of Ariel, Surf, Brite, Express Power and other brands, increased from Rs600 to Rs620 per 1kg pack. Since June 2026, the price of a 1kg pack has increased by Rs90. Moreover, prices of various shampoo brands have increased by 10-20 percent. The price of a small bottle of Lifebuoy shampoo rose from Rs180 to Rs200, while a 200ml bottle of Sunsilk shampoo increased from Rs350 to Rs400.
Prices of various soft drink brands, including Pepsi, Coke, Miranda and others, remained stable, with a family-sized bottle available at Rs230.
Overall, vegetable prices witnessed a mixed trend. The wholesale price of potatoes remained stable at Rs1,300-2,500 per quintal, while retailers were selling them at Rs45-50 per kg against the officially fixed rate of Rs22-36 per kg. Onion prices remained stable at Rs7,000-14,500 per quintal, with retail prices ranging from Rs190 to Rs260 per kg against the official rate of Rs145-209 per kg. The wholesale price of tomatoes declined from Rs2,200 to Rs2,000 per 15kg basket, while retail prices ranged from Rs100 to Rs150 per kg, compared with Rs120-170 per kg previously. The official rate was fixed at Rs73-128 per kg. The wholesale price of ginger remained stable at Rs1,500 per 5kg, while retail prices ranged from Rs450 to Rs550 per kg against the official rate of Rs363-406 per kg. Wholesale prices of various varieties of garlic declined from Rs750-1,900 to Rs700-1,700 per 5kg, while retail prices ranged from Rs260 to Rs570 per kg against the official rate of Rs182-375 per kg. The wholesale price of capsicum declined from Rs1,200 to Rs900 per 5kg, while retail prices fell to Rs230-250 per kg from Rs300-330 per kg. The official rate was fixed at Rs194-218 per kg.
Prices of various varieties of pumpkin remained stable at Rs350-700 per 5kg in the wholesale market, while retail prices ranged from Rs160 to Rs200 per kg against the official rate of Rs90-194 per kg. Wholesale prices of various varieties of tinda declined from Rs850-1,450 to Rs800-1,200 per 5kg, while retail prices ranged from Rs230 to Rs270 per kg, compared with Rs250-400 per kg previously. The official rate was fixed at Rs182-315 per kg. The wholesale price of eggplant increased from Rs230 to Rs270 per 5kg, while retail prices rose to Rs80-100 per kg from Rs70-90 per kg. The official rate was fixed at Rs73-85 per kg. The wholesale price of cauliflower declined from Rs750 to Rs550 per 5kg, while retail prices fell to Rs160-180 per kg from Rs200-220 per kg. The official rate was fixed at Rs133-145 per kg. The wholesale price of spinach increased from Rs170 to Rs220 per 5kg, while retail prices rose to Rs70-80 per kg from Rs60-70 per kg. The official rate was fixed at Rs61-67 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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