Essential kitchen items: Continued increases in fuel prices lead to further rise in prices
ISLAMABAD: Continued increases in fuel prices have led to a further rise in the prices of essential kitchen items, particularly vegetables and fruits, a Business Recorder survey conducted here on Saturday revealed.
According to traders and transporters, besides seasonal factors, the persistent upward trend in fuel prices has been a major contributor to the increase in the prices of household items. Traders said successive fuel price hikes following the resurgence of the Middle East crisis have increased transportation costs by 20 to 25 percent, making almost all consumer goods more expensive.
The survey observed an increase of Rs200 per 40kg in wholesale chicken prices, which rose from Rs13,000 to Rs13,200 per 40kg. In the retail market, live chicken is being sold at Rs345-360 per kg, while chicken meat is available at Rs510-540 per kg, depending on the area. Egg prices also increased by Rs300 per carton, rising from Rs7,200 to Rs7,500 per carton containing 30 dozen eggs in the wholesale market. In retail markets, eggs are being sold at Rs265-275 per dozen, compared to Rs250-260 previously.
Meat prices also witnessed an increase. Ordinary-quality mutton is available at Rs2,750-2,850 per kg, up from Rs2,700-2,800 per kg, while premium-quality mutton is selling at Rs3,100-3,300 per kg against Rs3,000-3,200 previously. Boneless beef is available at Rs1,750 per kg compared to Rs1,700, while mixed beef is selling at Rs1,550 per kg against Rs1,500 previously. Prices of various fish varieties also increased, with different species now available in the range of Rs600-1,200 per kg, compared to Rs550-1,000 per kg last week.
Sugar prices remained stable at Rs6,900 per 50kg bag in the wholesale market. In retail markets, sugar is being sold at Rs150-160 per kg against the official rate of Rs148 per kg. The wholesale price of wheat flour increased from Rs1,900 to Rs2,000 per 15kg bag, while in retail it is being sold at Rs2,050-2,080 per 15kg bag, compared to Rs1,960-2,000 previously. Prices of roti, naan and paratha remained unchanged, with roti selling at Rs20, naan at Rs30 and paratha at Rs60. No changes were observed in the prices of bakery and confectionery items. Normal-sized bread is available at Rs150, compared to Rs140 previously, while small-sized bread is selling at Rs110 and family-sized bread at Rs210.
Prices of cooked food also remained stable. A plate of cooked dal or vegetables at an ordinary hotel is available at Rs320, a beef plate at Rs550, a chicken plate at Rs500 and a mutton plate at Rs750. At some tea stalls, the price of a cup of tea has declined from Rs70 to Rs50, although most restaurants continue to charge Rs70-100 per cup. No changes were observed in the prices of branded spices, which are currently being sold under promotional schemes offering Rs20 discount per pack, reducing the price of a 39-gram pack from Rs150 to Rs130.
Ghee and cooking oil prices also remained stable. B-grade ghee/cooking oil is available at Rs6,820 per carton containing 16 packs in the wholesale market, while in retail it is being sold at Rs440-450 per 900-gram pack. Premium brands, including Dalda ghee, are available at Rs2,920 per 5kg tin in the wholesale market and around Rs3,000 per 5-litre pack in retail markets.
Officially, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has fixed the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) at Rs241.43 per kg. However, LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are selling the commodity at significantly higher rates. In the hilly areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, LPG is being sold at Rs500-600 per kg, while in cities such as Rawalpindi and Islamabad it is being sold at Rs380-400 per kg, compared to the official rate. A domestic LPG cylinder containing 15kg costs Rs5,000-6,000 in the hilly regions.
The situation indicates that LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are overcharging consumers by Rs139-359 per kg and Rs2,078-5,378 per 15kg domestic cylinder. Meanwhile, OGRA and other relevant authorities—including local representatives, commissioners, deputy commissioners, assistant commissioners, tehsildars, and representatives of traders and farmers—have failed to effectively monitor the market and enforce the notified prices. As a result, consumers have continued to pay inflated prices for the past eight years.
The prices of various rice varieties remained stable. Premium-quality basmati rice is available at Rs14,000 per 40kg bag, while in retail it is being sold at around Rs400 per kg. Ordinary-quality basmati is available at Rs12,000 per 40kg bag, retailing at Rs350 per kg. Good-quality broken basmati is selling at Rs9,500 per 40kg bag, with a retail price of Rs270 per kg, while ordinary broken basmati is available at Rs7,100-7,500 per 40kg bag, retailing at Rs200-220 per kg. Tea prices remained unchanged. Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,000 per 900-gram pack, while Islamabad Tea is selling at Rs1,900 per kg. Turmeric powder is available in the wholesale market at Rs600 per kg, while retailers are selling it at Rs800-1,000 per kg. Similarly, red chilli powder is available at Rs600 per kg in the wholesale market and Rs800-1,000 per kg in retail markets.
Pulse prices also remained stable. Mash pulse is available at Rs13,500 per 40kg bag in the wholesale market and is being sold at Rs420-450 per kg in retail. Gram pulse is available at Rs8,500 per 40kg bag, retailing at Rs250-260 per kg, while premium whole gram is selling at Rs9,200 per 40kg bag, with retail prices ranging from Rs270-290 per kg. Various varieties of bean lentils are available at Rs15,200-17,200 per 40kg bag, retailing at Rs410-520 per kg. Moong pulse is available at Rs12,000 per 40kg bag, with a retail price of Rs330 per kg, while masoor pulse is available at Rs8,300 per 40kg bag and is selling at Rs260 per kg in retail markets. Prices of packaged milk brands, including Milk Pak and Olpers, remained unchanged. A carton containing one-litre packs is available at Rs4,250, while one-litre packs are retailing at Rs380 each. A carton of 250ml packs is available at Rs2,530, with each 250ml pack selling at Rs100 in the retail market.
Fresh milk prices across the twin cities also remained stable at Rs260 per litre. However, in some upscale sectors, fresh milk is being sold at Rs280 per litre. Yogurt prices remained unchanged at Rs280 per kg, although in posh localities it is being sold at Rs280-300 per kg. No changes were observed in the prices of powdered milk brands such as Nido and Lactogen. A 400-gram pack of Nido is available at Rs1,100, while a 200-gram pack is selling at Rs750.
Overall, the prices of bathing soaps remained stable. Safeguard family-size soap is available at Rs175 per bar, while Dettol, Lux, Palmolive and other brands are selling at around Rs160 per bar. Detergent prices also remained unchanged, with Ariel, Surf, Brite, Express Power and other brands available at around Rs600 per kg pack. Prices of soft drinks, including Pepsi, Coke, Mirinda and other brands, also remained stable, with family-size bottles selling at Rs230.
Vegetable prices, however, continued to show an upward trend. Potato prices remained stable at Rs1,500-2,700 per quintal in the wholesale market, while retailers are selling potatoes at Rs50-60 per kg against the official rate of Rs24-39 per kg. Onion prices declined from Rs5,500-8,000 to Rs5,300-7,500 per quintal, while retail prices ranged between Rs90 and Rs120 per kg against the official rate of Rs67-97 per kg. Tomato prices increased from Rs3,100 to Rs4,000 per 15kg basket in the wholesale market. In retail markets, tomatoes are being sold at Rs350-400 per kg compared with Rs230-300 previously, against the official rate of Rs266-325 per kg.
Ginger prices rose from Rs1,300 to Rs1,500 per 5kg in the wholesale market and are being sold at Rs450-500 per kg in retail markets, while the official rate is Rs351-387 per kg. Garlic prices remained stable, with various varieties available at Rs500-1,350 per 5kg in the wholesale market and Rs175-500 per kg in retail markets, against the official rate of Rs133-351 per kg. Capsicum prices increased from Rs1,250 to Rs1,300 per 5kg in the wholesale market and are retailing at Rs350-450 per kg, compared with the official rate of Rs290-315 per kg. Prices of various varieties of pumpkin also increased from Rs350-525 to Rs450-700 per 5kg in the wholesale market. In retail markets, pumpkins are being sold at Rs150-220 per kg compared with Rs120-180 previously, while the official rate is Rs110-194 per kg. Prices of various varieties of tinda remained stable at Rs600-1,200 per 5kg in the wholesale market and Rs170-330 per kg in retail markets, against the official rate of Rs145-278 per kg. Eggplant prices increased from Rs275 to Rs325 per 5kg in the wholesale market and are retailing at Rs90-100 per kg, while the official rate is Rs79-88 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026