Essential items' prices soar after federal budget

Survey shows food prices are likely to increase by 25% to 30% from July 1

RAWALPINDI:

Owing to heavy taxation in the federal budget for FY26, there has been a sharp rise in the prices of essential items in the open market, including milk, sugar, ghee, cooking oil, tea, toothpaste, pulses, flour, refined flour, gram flour, and soap. Their supply has also started to dwindle.

According to a wholesale market survey, the prices of all essential food and household items are expected to increase by 25% to 30% from July 1. There is also a warning that the prices of spices may surge by 35% to 40%.

However, due to the blessings of Eidul Azha, chicken prices have dropped significantly, yet customer turnout remains low. Butchers' shops selling mutton and beef remain closed during Eid and are expected to stay shut for another week.

In the open market, sugar has reached Rs190 per kg. According to Saleem Parvez Butt, the President of the Kiryana Merchants Association, it may hit Rs200 per kg in the first week of July.

Flour prices have increased by Rs10 per kg, refined flour (maida) has gone up by Rs15 per kg, loose milk is selling at Rs200 per liter, yogurt at Rs220 per kg, cooking oil is priced at Rs550 per liter, ghee at Rs530 per kg,

Similarly, in lentils, daal chana is being sold at Rs390 per kg, white chickpeas at Rs450 per kg, and daal mash at Rs560 per kg. Live chicken has become cheaper to be sold at Rs350 per kg, while clean chicken meat is being sold at Rs540 per kg. Eggs are being sold at Rs288 per dozen.

In the open market, vendors are charging Rs250 to Rs400 per kg for apples, Rs300 per kg for mangoes, Rs200 to Rs250 per dozen for bananas, Rs500 per box for cherries, Rs300 per kg for falsa, Rs250 to Rs300 per kg for apricots, Rs400 per kg for dried plums, Rs60 per kg for watermelon, Rs110 per kg for melon, and Rs100 per kg for musk melon.

Moving forward, potatoes are being sold at Rs60 per kg, onions at Rs60 to Rs70 per kg, tomatoes at Rs60 to Rs70 per kg, garlic at Rs250 to Rs300 per kg, ginger at Rs550 per kg, arvi at Rs200 per kg, bitter gourd (karela) at Rs80 per kg, lemons at Rs600 per kg, cauliflower at Rs150 per kg, tinda at Rs160 per kg, green chilies at Rs150 per kg, and coriander at Rs40 per bunch.