Soaring petrol prices push vegetables, fruits beyond reach in Pakistan

2026-03-08 - 09:04

The Pakistan government’s sharp increase in petrol prices has caused a ripple effect across the country, pushing up the cost of vegetables and fruits. As per details, the rising prices of petroleum products in the open market are now impacting the overall cost of food items, with inflation graphs climbing in the country’s two largest cities, Karachi and Lahore. In Lahore, tomatoes are being sold at Rs70–75 per kilogram, onions at Rs55–60, and ginger at Rs310 per kilogram. Meanwhile, the prices of staple items such as flour, sugar, and rice remain relatively stable for now, with sugar at Rs160, ten kilograms of flour at Rs910, and rice ranging from Rs250 to 400 per kilogram. Market sources have, however, warned that these prices may rise in the coming days. In Ramdan Nighaban markets, prices have remained steady despite the petrol hike, with onions at Rs50, tomatoes at Rs63, and ginger at Rs282 per kilogram in Pakistan follwoing petrol prices hike. In Karachi, the increase in petrol prices has also driven up the cost of vegetables and fruits. Potatoes are being sold at Rs30 per kilogram, onions at Rs40, spinach bundles at Rs20–30, peas at Rs120, green chillies at Rs150, and ginger and garlic at up to Rs400 per kilogram. Among fruits, melons and guavas are being sold at Rs150 per kilogram, bananas at Rs350 per dozen, tangerines at Rs400 per dozen, and strawberries at up to Rs800 per kilogram. Vendors cite increased transport costs as the main reason for the price hikes, leaving them with no choice but to raise their rates.