Business Recorder
ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items especially vegetables, eggs, and chicken have witnessed a declining trend following a decrease in fuel prices, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder on Saturday. According to traders the full benefit of reduction in high speed diesel oil price will be passed on to the end consumers within the next couple of days as overnight it has a limited impact specifically on the prices of vegetables, eggs, chicken and other perishable items. Chicken price went down from Rs17,600 to Rs16,600 per 40kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs430-450 against Rs460-480 per kg, while chicken meat price went down from Rs700-750 to Rs650-700 per kg varying area to area. Egg prices went down from Rs6,700 to Rs6,500 per carton containing 30 dozen the wholesale market, while in retail eggs are being sold in the range of Rs240-250 against Rs250-265 per dozen. Meat prices remained stable as normal quality mutton is available in the range of Rs2,600-2,700 per kg while the best quality in the range of Rs2,800-3000 per kg, normal quality boneless beef from Rs1,500 to Rs1,650 per kg, and normal mixed beef from Rs1,300 to Rs1,400 per kg. Prices of the various varieties of fish witnessed no changes as different varieties of fishes are available in the range of Rs450-800 per kg. Wheat flour price also went down from Rs1,870 per 15kg bag to Rs1,800 in wholesale market, while in retail wheat flour is being sold at Rs1,850 against Rs1,940 per 15kg bag. The survey noted no changes in sugar prices, which is available at Rs7,100 per 50kg bag in wholesale markets, while in retail sugar is being sold in the range of Rs150-160 per kg. No changes were witnessed in Roti, Naan and Paratha prices as Roti is being sold at Rs25, Naan at Rs30, and Paratha at Rs60. No changes were observed in bakery and confectionery items. Normal-sized bread is available at Rs150 against Rs140, small-sized bread at Rs110, and family-sized bread at Rs210. Ghee/cooking oil prices witnessed no changes as B-grade ghee/oil price is stable at Rs6,700 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs430 per pack of 900 grams, while the best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee price is also stable at Rs2,820 per 5kg tin which in retail are being sold at Rs2,900 per 5-litre bottle. Officially, Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has notified an increase of Rs78.5 per kg in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price taking up from Rs225.5 to Rs304 per kilogram, however the LPG marketing companies, distributors and retailers are selling LPG in the range of Rs425-450 per kg against official rate of Rs304 while a domestic cylinder containing 15kg LPG is being sold at Rs6,200 against official rate of Rs4,560, reflecting an overcharging of RsRs121-145 per kg and Rs2,140 per domestic cylinder of 15kg. The marketing companies, distributors and retailers all are overcharging per kg by Rs75-100 as OGRA and other relevant authorities which include which local representatives, Commissioners, Deputy Commissioners, Assistant Commissioners, Tehsildars, Representatives of traders, farmers and retailers aren’t trying to monitor the market situation to enforce the official rates as a result consumers are compelled to pay high rates. The prices of the various varieties of rice remained stable as the top quality basmati rice is available at Rs13,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs380 per kg, normal quality Basmati at Rs11,500 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs340 per kg, and good quality broken Basmati at Rs8,700 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs260 per kg, while normal quality Basmati at Rs6,500-7,000 per 40kg bag which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs160-210 per kg. Tea prices remained stable, as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,000 per 900 grams pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs1,700 per kg; turmeric powder and chilli powder prices witnessed no changes as turmeric powder is available at Rs650 per kg in wholesale market which retailers are selling in the range of Rs850-950 per kg and red chilli powder at Rs700 per kg which retailers selling at Rs850-950 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 remained stable as maash pulse in wholesale market is available at Rs14,700 per 40kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450-500 per kg, gram pulse at Rs9,500 per 40 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs250-260 per kg, best quality whole gram at Rs10,500 per 40kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs270-290 per kg while normal gram pulse is being sold at Rs270 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils at Rs16,000-19,000 which in retail are available in the range of Rs440-560 per kg, moong pulse at Rs13,000 per 40kg which in retail is available at Rs350, and masoor pulse at Rs9,500 per 40kg 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 Rs4,150 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 Rs2,500 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 Rs1,350, 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 1kg 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 a declining trend. Potatoes price remained stable at Rs1,200-1,300 per quintal, while retailers are selling potatoes in the range of Rs45-65 against the government has fixed price of Rs21-28 per kg; onion price in wholesale market went down from Rs6,600-8,700 to Rs5,000-7,000 per quintal, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-90 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs55-87 per kg and tomato prices went down from Rs1,350 to Rs1,250 per basket of 15kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-140 against official price is fixed at Rs85-117 per kg. Ginger price went down from Rs1,200 to Rs1,150 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 Rs303-366 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 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs400-450 against official rate of Rs242-290 per kg and China garlic price went up from 2,800 to Rs3,100 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs800-850 per kg while government has set China garlic rate at Rs666-702 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 Rs250 to Rs230 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 down from Rs200-550 to Rs170-400 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs60-150 against Rs70-170 per kg while official price is fixed at Rs50-128 per kg; various types of tinda price remained stable at Rs400-550 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-200 per kg while official rate is fixed at Rs90-1182 per kg; eggplant price went down from Rs300 to Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-100 per kg against official of Rs61-67 per kg; cauliflower price went up from Rs250 to Rs300 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs80-100 against Rs70-80 while official price is fixed at Rs73-85 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 went up from Rs150 to Rs240 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs75-90 against Rs60-70 per kg while official rate is set at Rs61-73 per kg, fresh-bean price went up from Rs275 to Rs400 per 5 kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-150 against Rs75-100 while official rate is set at R97-103 per kg, peas price went up to Rs400 from Rs300 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-150 against Rs80-100 per kg while official rate is set at Rs97-116 per kg. Okra price went down to Rs850 from Rs900 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs250-270 against Rs275-300 per kg while official rate is set Rs218-242 per kg, carrot price went up from Rs150 to Rs300 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs75-90 against Rs55-75 while government fixed rate is Rs73-86 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. The official rate list is issued after close collaboration with all the relevant stakeholders with a profit margin of Rs10-20 per kg to the sellers around the wholesale market at Rs15-30 per kg profit margin to most parts of the capital city and Rs20-40 profit margin for the sellers in posh areas. But still no vendor, pushcart holder and shopkeeper is following the official price list. Overall fruit prices witnessed a declining trend as bananas price went down from Rs140-300 to Rs120-250 per dozen, various varieties of apple prices went down from Rs250-550 to Rs230-500 per kg, with white apples at Rs230 per kg cheapest and Iranian Kalakilo apple at Rs500 per kg most expensive, guava prices went down from Rs130-200 to Rs120-180 per kg, various varieties of oranges in the range of Rs120-400 against Rs140-450 per dozen, various varieties of grapes in the range of Rs700-900 per kg and pomegranate in the range of Rs600-800 per kg, strawberry in the range of Rs200-300 against Rs300-450 per kg, melon in the range of Rs70-120 against Rs120-200 per kg, various varieties of water-melon in the range of Rs60-100 against Rs80-130 per kg, berries in the range of Rs100-130 per kg. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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