Prices of essential kitchen items decline due to cut in fuel prices

ISLAMABAD: Owing to a reduction in fuel prices, the rates of essential kitchen items have declined during the past week compared to the preceding week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Saturday revealed.

Traders told this correspondent that continued reduction in diesel and petrol prices had started bringing down the prices of most vegetables, cooking oil/ghee, sugar and fruits. The prices of rice, wheat flour, spices, pulses, meat, detergents, bathing soap, tea, milk and cooked food items remained stable during the week.

However, in the absence of an effective monitoring mechanism, retail prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have further increased by over Rs150 per kg, from Rs600 to Rs750 per kg, consumers said.

The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has officially fixed the LPG price at Rs270 per kg. However, LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are selling the commodity at more than double the official rate. In remote areas of Hazara Division, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Malakand Division and the Chitral region, LPG is being sold at Rs700-750 per kg. In cities such as Rawalpindi and Islamabad, the retail price has also reached Rs750 per kg against the officially notified rate.

The price of a domestic LPG cylinder containing 15kg has increased from Rs7,000 to Rs8,600, compared to the official price of Rs4,200. This reflects overcharging of Rs430-480 per kg and Rs4,600 per 15kg domestic cylinder by LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers.

Meanwhile, OGRA and district authorities, including local representatives, commissioners, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, tehsildars and magistrates, have miserably failed to enforce officially notified prices in the market.

According to traders, prices of all household items, including food products, detergents, shampoos and formula milk, have continued to rise over the past eight months following the Middle East crisis, which disrupted fuel supplies due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.

They said consumers were currently paying 30-50 percent higher prices for daily-use items due to increased transportation costs, higher electricity and gas bills, and other input costs.

They added that although prices of vegetables, fruits and other edible items had declined at the farm level over the past two months, the benefit had not been passed on to consumers due to high transportation fares and other input costs. However, prices of these items had finally started coming down. The fuel crisis, which began in March 2026, also resulted in higher costs of school uniforms, notebooks, shoes, school van fares and other household essentials.

The survey noted an increase in chicken prices, with wholesale rates rising from Rs14,700 to Rs15,500 per 40kg. In the retail market, chicken is being sold at Rs425-440 per kg, compared to Rs410-420 previously. Chicken meat prices also increased from Rs575-625 to Rs600-700 per kg, varying from area to area. Egg prices increased from Rs6,400 to Rs6,820 per carton containing 30 dozen in the wholesale market, while retail prices rose to Rs255-270 per dozen from Rs240-250.

Meat prices remained stable, 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 is available at Rs1,750 per kg, while mixed beef is being sold at Rs1,550 per kg. Prices of various fish varieties witnessed an upward trend owing to a drop in temperature, with different varieties available at Rs750-1,500 per kg, compared to Rs600-1,200 previously.

Sugar prices declined from Rs6,600 to Rs6,550 per 50kg bag in wholesale markets. In the retail market, sugar is being sold at Rs150-160 per kg, against the officially fixed rate of Rs140 per kg. Wheat flour prices remained stable at Rs2,300 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market, while the retail price stood at Rs2,380 per bag. No changes were witnessed in the prices of cooked roti, naan and paratha, with roti available at Rs25, naan at Rs30 and paratha at Rs60-70. Tandoor and restaurant owners expressed serious concern over continued increases in gas, electricity, petrol, diesel and other input costs, saying these were forcing them to close their businesses.

Prices of bakery and confectionery items also remained unchanged during the week. Normal-sized bread is available at Rs180, small-sized bread at Rs130 and family-sized bread at Rs240. Prices of cooked food items remained unchanged, with a plate of cooked daal or vegetables at a regular restaurant available at Rs350, beef at Rs680, chicken at Rs530 and mutton at Rs800. A plate of nihari is available at Rs600, while a cup of tea at most hotels and restaurants costs Rs80-100. However, some restaurant operators are still selling tea at Rs50-60 per cup.

No changes were witnessed in the prices of spices, with various brands, including Shan, National and Deewan, available at Rs160 per 39-gram pack. Ghee and cooking oil prices witnessed a mixed trend. The wholesale price of B-grade ghee/cooking oil declined from Rs6,800 to Rs6,700 per carton containing 16 packs. In the retail market, it is being sold at Rs440-450 per 900-gram pack. Prices of premium-quality cooking oil and ghee brands, including Dalda, remained stable, with a 5kg tin of Dalda ghee available at Rs2,950, while a 5-litre bottle of cooking oil is being sold at Rs3,100.

Prices of various varieties of rice remained stable during the week. The best-quality basmati rice was available at Rs11,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market, while its retail price stood at Rs330 per kg. Normal-quality basmati rice was available at Rs10,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs300 per kg retail. Good-quality broken basmati rice was available at Rs7,500 per 40kg in the wholesale market and Rs230 per kg in retail, while normal-quality broken basmati rice was available at Rs6,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs170-200 per kg retail.

Tea prices also remained unchanged, with a 900-gram pack of Lipton Yellow Label available at Rs2,000, while Supreme, Tapal Danedar and Islamabad Tea were available at Rs1,800 per kg. Turmeric powder prices remained stable at Rs550 per kg in the wholesale market, while retailers were selling it at Rs700-850 per kg. Red chilli powder prices also remained unchanged at Rs550 per kg wholesale, while retail prices ranged from Rs750 to Rs850 per kg. However, some retailers were charging as much as Rs900-1,000 per kg in the absence of effective monitoring by district authorities.

Prices of various pulses remained stable. Maash pulse was available at Rs15,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market, while its retail price ranged from Rs450 to Rs470 per kg. Gram was available at Rs9,500 per 40kg wholesale and Rs260-280 per kg retail, while the best-quality whole gram was priced at Rs10,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs300-320 per kg retail. Various varieties of bean lentils were available at Rs16,000-17,700 per 40kg in the wholesale market, while retail prices ranged from Rs440 to Rs520 per kg. Moong pulse was available at Rs10,500 per 40kg wholesale and Rs300 per kg retail, while masoor pulse was priced at Rs9,000 per 40kg wholesale and Rs280 per kg retail.

Prices of packed milk brands, including MilkPak, Olper’s and others, remained unchanged, with a carton containing one-litre packs available at Rs4,250, while individual one-litre packs were being sold at Rs380. The price of a carton containing 250ml packs also remained stable at Rs2,530, with individual packs available at Rs100.

Fresh milk prices remained stable at Rs260 per litre. However, in some areas, particularly upscale sectors, fresh milk was being sold at Rs280-300 per litre. Yoghurt prices also remained unchanged at Rs280 per kg, while in upscale areas they ranged from Rs300 to Rs330 per kg. Prices of formula milk also remained stable, with a 400-gram pack of Nido available at Rs1,100, a 400-gram pack of Lactogen at Rs1,580 and a 200-gram pack of Nido at Rs580.

Overall, bathing soap prices remained stable, with a family-size pack of Safeguard available at Rs175, while Dettol, Lux, Palmolive and other brands were selling at Rs160 per pack. However, detergent prices, including those of Ariel, Surf, Brite, Express Power and other brands, witnessed an increase, with a 1kg pack rising from Rs600 to Rs620. Since June 2026, the price of a 1kg detergent pack has increased by Rs90.

No changes were observed in shampoo prices, with a small bottle of Lifebuoy available at Rs200 and a 200ml bottle of Sunsilk shampoo at Rs400. Prices of various soft drink brands, including Pepsi, Coke, Miranda and others, also remained stable, with a family-size bottle available at Rs230.

Overall, vegetable prices witnessed a declining trend. Potato prices fell from Rs2,000-3,800 to Rs1,800-3,350 per quintal. In the retail market, potatoes were being sold at Rs60-70 per kg, compared to Rs70-80 previously, against the officially fixed rate of Rs28-53 per kg. Onion prices declined from Rs6,500-14,000 to Rs6,000-13,500 per quintal, while retail prices fell to Rs160-220 per kg from Rs180-250. The officially fixed rate ranged from Rs132 to Rs193 per kg. However, tomato prices increased from Rs2,300 to Rs2,400 per 15kg basket. In the retail market, tomatoes were being sold at Rs160-230 per kg, compared to Rs140-200 previously, against the officially fixed rate of Rs143-202 per kg. Ginger prices declined from Rs1,400 to Rs1,300 per 5kg in the wholesale market. Retail prices fell to Rs400-500 per kg from Rs450-550, while the official rate ranged from Rs297 to Rs347 per kg. Prices of various varieties of garlic also declined from Rs800-2,100 to Rs700-1,800 per 5kg in the wholesale market. In the retail market, garlic was being sold at Rs300-600 per kg, against the officially fixed rate of Rs187-440 per kg.

Capsicum prices increased from Rs700 to Rs830 per 5kg in the wholesale market. Retail prices rose to Rs220-240 per kg from Rs180-220, while the official rate ranged from Rs187 to Rs220 per kg. Prices of various varieties of pumpkin remained stable at Rs100-500 per 5kg in the wholesale market. Retail prices ranged from Rs60 to Rs180 per kg, against the officially fixed rate of Rs28-149 per kg. Prices of various varieties of tinda declined from Rs600-1,450 to Rs550-800 per 5kg in the wholesale market. In the retail market, tinda was being sold at Rs170-230 per kg, compared to Rs200-400 previously, against the official rate of Rs154-187 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026