ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items have witnessed a declining trend during the last week against previous week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Saturday revealed.
Traders told this correspondent that prices of rice, ghee/cooking oil, wheat flour, sugar, most of the fruits and vegetables witnessed a reduction during this week, while chicken, chicken meat and eggs went up and rest of the stuff prices remained stable. According to traders every household item including edible items, detergents, shampoos, formula milk and others during past eight months have kept increasing following Middle East crisis which led to fuel supply disruptions as a result of closure of Strait of Hormoz and Bab-el-Mandib. According to traders at present all the consumers are paying up to 30-50 percent higher price of daily as a result increased transportation costs, higher electricity bills, gas prices and other input costs.
They said that the prices of vegetables, fruits and other edible items at farm level have declined in recent weeks but high transportation fares and other input costs are not allowing the suppliers to pass on the benefit to end consumers. Moreover, this phenomenon has also resulted in increasing the costs of school uniforms, notebooks, shoes, school van’s fees along with other daily household use items.
The survey observed an increase in chicken price which went up from Rs14,100 to Rs15,700 per 40kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of range of Rs425-440 against Rs375-400 per kg, while chicken meat price went up from Rs550-630 to Rs600-700 per kg varying area to area. Egg prices went up from Rs7,300 to Rs7,400 per carton containing 30 dozen in the wholesale market, while in retail eggs are being sold in the range of Rs270-280 against Rs265-275 per dozen. Meat prices remained stable as normal quality mutton is available in the range of Rs2,750-2,850 per kg, the best quality meat in the range of Rs3,100-3,300 per kg, normal quality boneless beef at Rs1,750 per kg, and normal mixed beef at Rs1,550 per kg. Prices of the various varieties of fish witnessed an increasing trend owing to drop in temperature as different varieties of fishes are available in the range of Rs750-1,500 against Rs600-1,200 per kg.
Sugar price went down from Rs6,800 o Rs6,600 per 50kg bag in wholesale markets, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs150-160 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs139 per kg. Wheat flour price went slightly down from Rs2,320 to Rs2,300 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market, while in retail it is still being sold at Rs2,380 per 15kg bag. No changes were witnessed in cooked roti, naan and paratha prices as roti is available at Rs25, naan at Rs30, paratha at Rs60-70. Tandoor and restaurant owners have expressed serious concern over continuous increase in gas, electricity, petrol, diesel and other inputs cost, saying the phenomenon is forcing them to close their businesses. Bakery and confectionery items’ prices already increased have witnessed no changes during this week as normal-sized bread price is available at Rs180, small-sized bread at Rs130, and family-sized bread at RS240.
The prices of cooked food items witnessed no changes as a cooked dal/vegetable plate at a normal restaurant is available at Rs350, a cooked beef plate at Rs680, a cooked chicken plate at Rs530, cooked mutton plate at Rs800, Nehari at Rs600, while a cup of tea on most of the hotels/restaurants is available at Rs80-100 per cup, however some of the restaurant operators are still selling a cup of tea in the range of Rs50-60 per cup.
Two weeks ago, the spices suppliers like Shan, National, Deewan and others on the plea of increased input costs have also increased the prices of an entire range of their products by Rs10 per pack as various spices are available at Rs160 against Rs150 per 39-gram pack. Ghee/cooking oil prices witnessed reduction as B-grade ghee/oil price went down from Rs7,100 to Rs6,800 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs440-450 against RsRs460-470 per pack of 900 grams, while the best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee price is stable at Rs2,950 per 5kg tin which in retail are being sold at Rs3,100 per 5-litre bottle.
Officially, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has announced an increase of Rs20 per kg in Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price for October and fixed LPG price at Rs270 against Rs259 against per kg, however the LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are selling the commodity at more than double of the official price as in hilly areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jamu and Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa LPG is being sold in the range of Rs550-650 per kg while in cities like Rawalpindi and Islamabad in the range of Rs410-420 per kg against official the rate. While a domestic LPG cylinder containing 15 kg costs Rs7,000 against official rate of Rs4,200. The phenomenon reflects that LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are overcharging the consumers by Rs126-146 per kg and Rs2,800 per domestic cylinder of 15kg. While the OGRA along with district authorities which include local representatives, Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Tehsildars and magistrates have miserably failed in enforcing the official prices in the market.
The prices of the various varieties of rice with the arrival of fresh crops have went down as the price of top quality basmati rice in wholesale market went down from Rs13,000 to Rs11,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs330 against Rs380 per kg, normal quality Basmati from Rs11,500 to Rs10,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 against Rs330 per kg, and good quality broken Basmati from Rs9,000 to Rs7,500 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 against Rs260 per kg, while normal quality broken Basmati from Rs7,000 to Rs6,000 per 40kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs170-200 against Rs200-220 per kg.
Tea prices witnessed a mixed trend, as Lipton Yellow Label price remained stable at Rs2,000 per 900 grams pack while Supreme, Tapal Danedar and Islamabad Tea prices went down from Rs1,900 to Rs1,800 per kg; turmeric powder price remained stable at Rs550 per kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs700-850 per kg and red chilli powder price also remained stable at Rs550 per kg in wholesale market, which retailers are selling in the range of Rs750-850 per kg. However, some retailers are selling the commodity at even Rs900-1,000 per kg in the absence of effective monitoring by the district authorities.
The prices of various pulses remained stable as maash pulse is available at Rs15,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450-470 per kg, gram at Rs9,500 per 40kg which in retail is being sold at Rs260-280 per kg, best quality whole gram Rs10,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs300-320 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils Rs16,000-17,700 per 40kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs440-520 per kg, moong pulse price at Rs10,500 per 40kg, which in retail is available at Rs300 per kg, and masoor pulse at Rs9,000 per 40kg which in retail is available at Rs280 per kg.
Packed milk prices such as Milk-Pak, Olpers, and others witnessed no changes as per carton of litre pack is available at Rs4,250 per carton, while in retail per litre pack is being sold at Rs380 and the price of a carton of 250ml also remained stable at Rs2,530 per carton which in market is being sold at Rs100 per 250ml. Fresh milk price remained stable at Rs260 per litre, while in some parts especially posh sectors fresh milk is being sold in the range of 280-300 per litre, and the yogurt price also remained stable Rs280 per kg, while in posh sectors it is being sold in the range of Rs300-330 per kg. Formula milk prices witnessed an increase as Nido 400-gram price jumped up from Rs980 to Rs1,100 and Lactogen 400-gram powder milk price went up from Rs1,480, Rs1,580 and Nido a 200-gram pack from Rs550 to Rs580 per pack.
Overall bathing soaps’ prices remained stable as Safeguard family size is available at Rs175 per pack, while Dettol, Lux, Palmolives, and others at Rs160 per pack, and detergent, such as Ariel Surf, Brite, Express Power, and others prices witnessed an increase as it went up from Rs600 per kg pack to Rs620 per pack, since June 2026 an increase of Rs90 per kg pack has occurred. Moreover, last week prices of an entire range of shampoos have witnessed an increase of 10 to 20 percent as Lifebouy small bottle price went up from Rs180 to Rs200, Sunsilk 200ml shampoo price went up from Rs350 to Rs400 per bottle. 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.
Overall, vegetable prices witnessed an increasing trend as potatoes price went up from Rs1,300-2,500 to Rs1,400-2,2650 per quintal, while retailers are selling potatoes in the range of Rs45-50 per kg and official price is fixed at Rs26-44 per kg; onions prices remained stable at Rs7,000-14,500 per quintal, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs190-260 per kg, while official rate is set at Rs145-213 per kg and tomato price went down from Rs2,000 to Rs1,700 per basket of 15kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-150 per kg, while the official rate is fixed at Rs73-109 per kg.
Ginger price remained stable at Rs1,500 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450-550 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs363-411 per kg, various varieties of garlic prices went up from Rs700-1,700 to Rs700-1,900 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs300-600 against Rs260-570 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs206-460 per kg.
Capsicum price went down from Rs900 to Rs850 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs230-250 per kg, while official price is fixed at Rs169-206 per kg, prices of various varieties of pumpkins went down from Rs350-700 to Rs300-650 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs160-200 per kg, while official price is fixed at Rs90-169 per kg; various types of tinda prices witnessed a mixed trend which varied from 600-1,450 against Rs800-12,00 per 5kg, while in retail are being sold in the range of Rs200-400 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs145-363 per kg; eggplant price went up from Rs270 to Rs330 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-120 against Rs80-100 per kg while official is set at Rs85-91 per kg; cauliflower price went down from Rs550 to Rs450 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs140-160 against Rs160-180 per kg, while official price is fixed at Rs97-109 per kg, spinach price went down from Rs220 to Rs120 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs50-60 against Rs70-80 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs35-39 per kg and cabbage price remained stable at Rs600 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs130-150 against per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs145-157 per kg, fresh-bean price went up from Rs950 to Rs1,050 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs275-350 against Rs260-300 per kg, while official rate is set at Rs242-303 per kg. Okra price remained stable at Rs650 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs170-200 per kg, while official rate is fixed at Rs145-169 per kg, carrot price went down from Rs650 to Rs450 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs130-150 against Rs160-180 per kg, while government fixed rate is Rs97-109 per kg, bitter-gourd price remained stable at Rs650 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs180-200 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026