LAHORE:Ongoing monsoon rains and the goods transporters’ strike have disrupted the supply of essential perishables, putting further pressure on food inflation as prices of vegetables, fruits and poultry products continued to rise across the provincial metropolis.
Consumers in Lahore continued to face higher food prices as the gap between official price lists and actual retail rates widened further due to weak enforcement by district administrations.
A majority of vegetables, fruits and poultry products remained unavailable at notified rates, forcing consumers to pay substantially higher prices for essential food items.The impact of the rains was particularly visible in the prices of perishable commodities, with supply disruptions, higher handling costs and transportation difficulties contributing to sharp fluctuations in wholesale and retail markets. However, retail prices for many items remained significantly above the rates notified by the authorities, further widening the gap between official price lists and market prices.
The continued divergence between official and retail prices also exposed weaknesses in the provincial price-control mechanism. Despite the daily issuance of official rate lists and claims of market monitoring, a large number of vegetables, fruits and poultry products remained unavailable at notified prices, allowing retailers to charge substantially higher rates.
The situation suggests that supply disruptions caused by the transporters’ strike and monsoon rains are being compounded by weak enforcement of price controls, leaving consumers to bear the burden of both genuine market pressures and unchecked price disparities.
This week poultry prices for live chicken were gained by Rs35 per kg, fixed at Rs344–358 per kg and remained unsold across the city, while chicken meat by Rs51 per kg, fixed at Rs519 per kg officially but sold between Rs550 and Rs630 per kg. Boneless chicken continued to fetch steep rates, hovering around Rs850-1000 per kg across the city.
Mixed trend in the vegetable was recorded this week as majority of perishable rates were gained. Potatoes sugar free were up by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs32-35 per kg, yet sold at Rs50–70 per kg. Tomatoes local price was further downed by Rs35 per kg in rate list only, fixed at Rs195–205 per kg, retailed between Rs300-400 per kg. Official onion prices further gained by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs155–165 per kg but continued to sell between Rs180-220 per kg.
Among essentials, local garlic stable at Rs152–160 per kg but retailed at Rs200–250 per kg. Chinese garlic sold at Rs600, while Harani garlic fixed at Rs260–270 per kg and fetched Rs350–450 per kg. Thai ginger downed by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs330–345 per kg but sold at Rs450–500 per kg, Chinese ginger unchanged at Rs320-335 per kg, sold at Rs400-450 per kg.
Farm cucumbers further reduced by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs172–180 per kg but sold at Rs250 per kg. Cucumber local price was not issued, but sold at Rs200-220 per kg. Brinjal fixed at Rs85–90 per kg with a reduction of Rs10 per kg, but retailed at Rs140–160 per kg, while bitter gourd unchanged at Rs114–120 per kg but sold up to Rs140-150 per kg.
Spinach price was unchanged at Rs57–60 per kg, though consumers paid Rs80–120 per kg.Local zucchini was also further surged by Rs20 per kg, fixed at Rs172-180 per kg, sold at Rs250-300 per kg.
Local lemons surged by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs142-150 per kg, sold at Rs200-250 per kg.Pumpkin prices up by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs133–140 per kg but sold at Rs180–220 per kg.Ladyfinger prices downed by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs152–160 per kg but retailed at Rs200–240 per kg. Lufa was unchanged at Rs76-80 per kg, sold at Rs120-140 per kg.
Green chilies stable at Rs114–120 per kg yet sold at Rs150–160 per kg, while capsicum also unchanged at Rs286–300 per kg but fetched Rs400 per kg.Cauliflower further up by Rs30 per kg, fixed at Rs172–180 per kg but sold at Rs220-250 per kg, while cabbage by Rs20 per kg, fixe d at Rs142–150 per kg and retailed at Rs180–200 per kg. Chinese carrots surged by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs119–125 per kg but sold at Rs240–280 per kg, Pea prices were not issued, but sold at Rs600 per kg.
Fruit prices also remained high. Apples were fixed between Rs220-300 per kg but sold at Rs300–500 per kg. Banana prices continued to exceed official rates, A-Grade was fixed at Rs188-210 per dozen, sold at Rs 300-350 per dozen, B-grade fixed at Rs125-140 per dozen, sold at Rs 180-250 per dozen. Dates rates were fixed at Rs320-460 per kg, sold between Rs800 and Rs2,400 per kg.
Different varieties of mangoes were fixed at Rs250-350 per kg, sold at Rs250-500 per kg.Plump was fixed at Rs315-330 per kg, sold at Rs400-600 per kg.Cantaloupe was gained by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs176-185 per kg, sold at Rs200-250 per kg. Peach was fixed at Rs210-300 per kg, sold at Rs250-400 per kg.
Papaya was fixed at Rs295-310 per kg, sold at Rs350-400 per kg.Pomegranate local was up by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs262-275 per kg, sold at Rs300-400 per kg.Peers were unchanged at Rs247-260 per kg, sold at Rs250-300 per kg.
Sweet lime was fixed at Rs177-185 per dozen, sold at Rs250-300 per dozen.Grapes Gola was fixed at Rs243-255 per kg, sold at Rs400-500 per kg, SundarKhani grapes up by Rs30 per kg, fixed at Rs487-510 per kg, sold at Rs700-800 per kg.
