From chicken to vegetables, Lahore consumers pay well above official rates

Lahore shoppers are paying well above Punjab’s notified rates for poultry, vegetables and fruit, according to market surveys reported by Profit by Pakistan Today on November 2. Tomatoes, for example, were listed at Rs140-175 per kg but sold for Rs250-280, while chicken meat was notified at Rs541 per kg and retailed for Rs580-650.

The reported gaps persisted even where official prices had been reduced, including onions and bitter gourd. Retailers also charged Rs800-2,400 per kg for dates against notified rates of Rs310-435, while live chicken prices were cut to Rs359-373 per kg but birds remained largely unsold. The report attributes the continuing disparity to weak enforcement and says consumers are seeking more sustained monitoring.

The figures underline the difference between government price notifications and household costs in Lahore. For investors, the story is relevant to food-related businesses and the broader consumer-price environment, but it names no listed company.