Increase in fuel prices leads to hike in prices across the board
ISLAMABAD: The increase in fuel prices has led to a hike in the prices across the board, including essential kitchen items, due to an escalation in transportation costs, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder on Saturday.
Locally operating transporters, such as carry vans, taxis, rickshaws, mini trucks, and loader rickshaws, have increased fares by 30-40pc due to rising fuel prices. A loader rickshaw previously charging Rs 2,000 from I-11 vegetable, fruit, and grain market to Khanaah Pul area now charges Rs 2,750. Taxi fares from Rawalpindi Railways Station to Zero Point have gone up from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000. Rickshaws operating on Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) within the city have increased fares by 50pc, now charging Rs600 from Faizabad bus terminal to Raja Bazaar, up from Rs400.The situation is similar for other transportation modes on long routes from Islamabad to Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as well as passenger buses.
Chicken prices have risen from Rs 16,000 to Rs 17,600 per 40 kg in the wholesale market, with retail prices at Rs460-480 per kg, up from Rs430-450. Chicken meat prices have increased from Rs600-700 to Rs700-850 per kg, varying by area. Egg prices have risen from Rs 6,400 to Rs6,700 per carton (30 dozen) in the wholesale market, with retail prices up from Rs235-245 to Rs250-265 per dozen. Meat prices are stable, with normal quality mutton at Rs 2,600-2,700 per kg and best quality at Rs 2,800-3,000 per kg. Normal quality boneless beef is Rs 1,500-1,650 per kg, and normal mixed beef is Rs 1,300-1,400 per kg. Fish prices remain unchanged, with various types available at Rs450-800 per kg.
The survey noted no changes in sugar prices, which are available at Rs 7,100 per 50 kg bag in wholesale markets, while in retail, sugar is being sold in the range of Rs150-160 per kg.
Wheat flour prices increased from Rs 1,840 to Rs 1,870 per 15 kg bag in the wholesale market, while in retail, it’s being sold at Rs 1,920-1,940, up from Rs 1,900-1,920 per 15 kg bag. Roti, Naan, and Paratha prices remained unchanged, with Roti at Rs25, Naan at Rs30, and Paratha at Rs60. Bakery and confectionery item prices also remained stable. Normal-sized bread is available at Rs150, small-sized bread at Rs110, and family-sized bread at Rs210.
Ghee/cooking oil prices showed a mixed trend. B-grade ghee/oil prices increased from Rs 6,400 to Rs 6,700 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, with retail prices at Rs430, up from Rs420 per 900g pack. Top-quality cooking oil/ghee brands, such as Dalda, remained stable at Rs 2,820 per 5kg tin, with retail prices at Rs 2,900 per 5-litre bottle.
Officially, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has notified an increase of Rs78.5 per kg in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price, taking it from Rs225.5 to Rs304 per kilogram. However, LPG marketing companies, distributors, and retailers are selling LPG in the range of Rs375-400 per kg, against the official rate of Rs304. A domestic cylinder containing 15 kg LPG is being sold at Rs 6,200, against the official rate of Rs 4,560, reflecting an overcharge of Rs 2,140 per domestic cylinder. The marketing companies, distributors, and retailers are all overcharging by Rs75-100 per kg. The OGRA and other relevant authorities, including local representatives, Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Tehsildars, and representatives of traders, farmers, and retailers, aren’t trying to monitor the market situation to enforce the official rates, resulting in consumers being compelled to pay high rates.
The prices of various rice varieties also increased. Top-quality basmati rice is available at Rs 13,000, up from Rs 12,500 per 40kg bag, with retail prices at Rs380, up from Rs360 per kg. Normal quality Basmati is at Rs 11,500, up from Rs 11,000 per 40 kg bag, with retail prices at Rs340, up from Rs320 per kg. Good quality broken Basmati is at Rs 8,700, up from Rs 8,300 per 40kg bag, with retail prices at Rs260, up from Rs250 per kg. Normal quality Basmati is available at Rs 6,500-7,000, up from Rs 6,000-6,500 per 40kg bag, with retail prices at Rs160-210, up from Rs150-200 per kg.
Tea prices remained stable, as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs 2,000 per 900 grams pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs 1,700 per kg; turmeric powder and chilli powder prices witnessed an increase as turmeric powder is available at Rs650 against Rs600 per kg in wholesale market which retailers are still selling in the range of Rs850-950 against Rs800-900 per kg and red chilli powder at Rs700 against Rs650 per kg which retailers selling at Rs850-950 against Rs850-900 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.
According to traders prices of various varieties of pulses have also gone up owing to an increase in transport cost as maash pulse in wholesale market went up from Rs 14,300 to Rs 14,700 per 40kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450-500 against Rs430-480 per kg, gram pulse from Rs 9,000 to Rs 9,500 per 40 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs250-260 against Rs240-250 per kg, best quality whole gram from 10,000 to Rs10,500 per 40kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs270-290 against Rs260-275 per kg while normal gram pulse is being sold at Rs270 against Rs260 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils from Rs 15,000-18,000 to Rs16,000-19,000 which in retail are available in the range of Rs440-560 against Rs430-550 per kg, moong pulse from Rs 12,500 to Rs 13,000 per 40kg which in retail is available at Rs350, and masoor pulse from Rs 9,000 to Rs 9,500 per 40 kg which in retail is available at Rs260 against Rs250 per kg.
Packed milk prices such as Milk-Pak, Olpers, and others witnessed no changes as per carton of litre pack is available at Rs 4,150 while in retail per litre pack is available at Rs370 per pack and the price of a carton of 250ml packed milk remained stable at Rs 2,500 which in market is being sold at Rs100 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 Rs 1,350, 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 remained stable at Rs580 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 an increasing trend. Potatoes price went down from Rs 1,200-1,500 to Rs 1,200-1,300 per quintal, while retailers are selling potatoes in the range of Rs45-65 against the government has fixed price of Rs19-24 per kg; onion price in wholesale market went down from Rs 6,600-8,700 to Rs 5,000-7,000 per quintal, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-90 against Rs100-130 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs55-87 per kg and tomato prices went up from Rs750 to Rs 1,350 per basket of 15kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-140 against Rs75-100 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs85-113 per kg.
Ginger price went up from Rs1,000 to Rs1,200 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs400-450 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs303-349 per kg, garlic prices witnessed a mixed trend as local garlic price went down from Rs650 to Rs600 per 5kg which in retail is still being sold at Rs250-300 against official rate of Rs145-182 per kg, Quetta garlic price went down from Rs1,200 to Rs1,000 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs400-450 against official rate of Rs242-290 per kg and China garlic price went up from 2,200 to Rs2,800 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs750-800 per kg while government has set China garlic rate at Rs605-649 per kg, however majority of vendors are selling local garlic in the name of China garlic to maximize their profits.
Capsicum price went down from Rs300 to Rs250 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs90-110 against Rs100-120 while official price is set at Rs67-73 per kg, prices of various varieties of pumpkins went up from Rs150-500 to Rs200-550 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-170 against Rs65-160 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs55-145 per kg; various types of tinda price went up from Rs300-450 to Rs400-550 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-160 against Rs120-150 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs90-140 per kg; eggplant price went up from Rs275 to Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-100 per kg against official of Rs67-75 per kg; cauliflower price went up to Rs220-250 from Rs170-200 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs70-80 against Rs60-70 while official price is fixed at Rs61-67 per kg, turnip price went down to Rs120 from Rs150 per 5 kg which in retail are being sold at Rs50-60 against official rate of 36-43 per kg and cabbage price is stable at Rs150 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs60-70 per kg while official rate is set at Rs36-43 per kg, fresh-bean price went down from Rs300 to Rs275 per 5 kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-100 against Rs80-120 while official rate is set at R67-73 per kg, peas price went up to Rs300 from Rs200 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs800-100 against Rs65-70 per kg while official rate is set at 73-79per kg. Okra price went up to Rs1,00 from Rs850 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs275-300 against Rs250-280 per kg while official rate is set Rs242-290 per kg, carrot price remained stable at Rs150 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs55-75 against government fixed rate of Rs43-48 per kg, bitter-gourd price went up from Rs600 to Rs650 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs18-200 against Rs170-190 while official price is set at 145-157 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026