Prices of fruits, vegetables, and chicken showed mixed trends last week, with official rates for several items either steady or reduced. However, consumer prices did not follow suit, as sellers continued selling at higher rates.
Live chicken was officially priced at Rs397-411 per kg but sold at Rs480-500 per kg, while chicken meat and boneless chicken were sold at Rs630-710 per kg and Rs1,100-1,200 per kg respectively.
Among fruits, apples largely remained unchanged at Rs170-305 per kg, bananas A-category at Rs197-220 per dozen, guava at Rs205-215 per kg, while papaya and mango varieties saw price gains up to Rs90 per kg. Grapes, sweet fruit, apricot, peach, and pomegranate also recorded small increases, highlighting the persistent gap between official pricing and market-level consumer prices for perishable items in Lahore.
Potato prices varied by grade: soft skin A-grade remained at Rs80-85 per kg, B-grade at Rs65-70, and C-grade at Rs55-60, yet consumers paid Rs120-150 per kg for mixed varieties. Sugar-free potato A-grade was fixed at Rs55-60, B-grade at Rs45-50, and C-grade at Rs35-40, with mixed potatoes sold at Rs100-120 per kg.
Onion A-grade rose by Rs5 to Rs65-70 per kg, while B- and C-grades were fixed at Rs55-60 and Rs45-50 per kg; mixed onions sold at Rs80 per kg. Tomato A-grade increased by Rs5 to Rs95-100 per kg, B-grade was fixed at Rs80-85, and C-grade at Rs65-70; mixed tomatoes sold at Rs120-130 per kg. Garlic local new was fixed at Rs205-215 per kg, sold at Rs300 per kg.
Other vegetables such as brinjal, spinach, zucchini, lemon, lady finger, capsicum, cauliflower, and cabbage showed varying increases or decreases, with consumer prices often exceeding official rates by a wide margin.
