Essential food prices remain above official rates across Lahore markets

A Lahore market survey found that shoppers were paying well above government-set prices for several essentials, Profit by Pakistan Today reported on November 9. Tomatoes cost Rs300-350 per kg, compared with the notified Rs180-215, while chicken meat sold for Rs600-680 against its revised official rate of Rs570 per kg. The government’s listed tomato rate rose by Rs40 during the week, while the chicken meat rate was cut by Rs29.

The gap also extended to potatoes, onions and garlic: sugar-free potatoes fetched Rs80-100 per kg against Rs50-53, and retail onions cost Rs220-250 against Rs185-195. Local garlic was sold for Rs300-320 per kg, while Chinese and Harani varieties reached about Rs700 and Rs500-600 respectively, above their notified prices. Both Thai and Chinese ginger sold for Rs400-500 per kg despite official rates below that range, and live chicken was largely unavailable; the report pointed to weak enforcement by Punjab’s Enforcement and Regulatory Authority.