Peshawar Food Prices Show Stability Amidst Consumer Concerns

PESHAWAR: A recent weekly survey indicates that the prices of essential food commodities in Peshawar have remained relatively consistent compared to the previous week.

However, shoppers express growing concern that prices are increasingly exceeding their financial capabilities. They voiced concerns over the local administration’s effectiveness in enforcing official price regulations and monitoring market costs.

Residents in Peshawar are increasingly frustrated by the local administration’s perceived inability to regulate food prices, which have not decreased despite notable reductions in fuel costs.

The survey suggests that prices for items like sugar, cooking oil, flour, chicken, meat, and vegetables are generally elevated in the open market, with retailers often imposing their own rates on consumers.

Key Commodity Prices
  • Chicken: Rs465 per kilogram
  • Farm Eggs: Rs360 per dozen
  • Boneless Cow Meat: Rs1100 per kilogram
  • Cow Meat with Bone: Rs1000 per kilogram
  • Mutton: Rs2500 to Rs3000 per kilogram
Vegetable Market Update
  • Tomatoes: Rs100 per kilogram
  • Onions: Rs70-80 per kilogram
  • Ginger: Rs600 per kilogram
  • Garlic: Rs200-300 per kilogram
  • Green Chilies: Rs120 per kilogram
  • Lemons: Rs400 per kilogram

Other vegetables prices:

  • Peas: Rs200 per kg
  • Capsicum: Rs100-120 per kg
  • Ladyfinger: Rs100-150 and Rs200 per kg
  • Arvi: Rs150-200 per kg
  • Turnip: Rs150 per kg
  • Eggplant: Rs100 per kg
  • Zucchini: Rs100-120 per kg
  • Tinda: Rs100 per kg
  • Cabbage: Rs100 per kg
  • Red Potatoes: Rs70 per kg
  • White Potatoes: Rs50 per kg
Staple Food Prices

Sugar prices have reportedly remained stable, ranging from Rs180-200 per kilogram in the open market. Similarly, the prices for various brands and grades of cooking oil and ghee have shown little change.

Consumers report that the costs of essential food items are increasingly unaffordable, putting significant strain on household budgets.

Flour prices remain steady, with a 20-kg bag of fine flour selling for Rs1600-Rs1750 and brown flour at Rs1400 in the retail market. The prices of wheat flour and related products like maida and soji also continue to be high.

Other Items

Beverage prices across different brands and qualities also remain elevated. Black tea is priced between Rs1400-1500 per kg.

Rice prices vary, with good quality (sela) rice at Rs360/kg, lower quality rice at Rs300-320/kg, and tota rice at Rs200-220/kg.