POL price hike sends LPG and food prices skyrocketing

• LPG jumps Rs30 per kg to Rs330, well above government’s Rs226 rate

• Karachi sees potatoes at Rs30/kg, onions Rs40/kg, ginger and garlic up to Rs400/kg

• Fruits hit hard with bananas Rs350/dozen, tangerines Rs400/dozen, strawberries up to Rs800/kg

 KARACHI/LAHORE: Following the Rs55-per-litre hike in petroleum prices, the cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) has surged by Rs30 per kilogram, reaching Rs330 per kg, compared to the government’s notified price of Rs226 per kg.

The massive petrol price increase, announced on Friday night, has mirrored spikes in diesel, kerosene oil, and jet fuel, with the price of jet fuel rising by Rs153.44 per litre. Transporters, in response, have raised fares, putting additional pressure on commuters across the country.

Soaring fuel prices push vegetables, fruits beyond reach

The surge in petroleum costs has triggered a ripple effect across Pakistan, pushing up the prices of vegetables and fruits and driving inflation higher in major cities like Karachi and Lahore.

In Lahore, tomatoes are being sold at Rs70–75 per kg, onions at Rs55–60, and ginger at Rs310 per kg. Staple items such as sugar (Rs160 per kg), flour (ten kilograms at Rs910), and rice (Rs250–400 per kg) have remained relatively stable for now, though market sources caution that prices could rise in the coming days.

In Ramzan Nighaban markets, prices have remained steady despite the fuel hike, with onions at Rs50 per kg, tomatoes at Rs63 per kg, and ginger at Rs282 per kg.

In Karachi, the petrol price surge has also driven up vegetable and fruit prices. Potatoes are being sold at Rs30 per kg, onions at Rs40 per kg, spinach bundles at Rs20–30, peas at Rs120, green chillies at Rs150, and ginger and garlic at up to Rs400 per kg.

Among fruits, melons and guavas are priced at Rs150 per kg, bananas at Rs350 per dozen, tangerines at Rs400 per dozen, and strawberries at up to Rs800 per kg. Vendors cite rising transport costs as the primary reason for the price hikes, leaving them with no option but to pass the increased expenses onto consumers.