Tomato Prices Soar in Pakistan as Weekly Inflation Rises
ISLAMABAD — Shoppers in Pakistan are feeling the pinch as tomato prices surge across major cities. In the federal capital, tomatoes are now being sold at Rs380 per kilogram, followed by Rs360 in Rawalpindi, Rs350 in Faisalabad, Rs340 in Lahore, and Rs320 in both Gujranwala and Sialkot.
The price jump comes amid a rise in weekly inflation, as measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), which climbed 0.56% for the combined consumption group in the week ending October 2, 2025, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). The SPI now stands at 332.17 points, up from 330.32 the previous week, marking a year-on-year increase of 4.07%.
The SPI, based on the 2015–16 base year, tracks the prices of 51 essential items across 17 urban centers and monitors inflation trends for different income groups.
For the lowest income group, earning up to Rs17,732 per month, inflation jumped 0.82%, reaching 325.43 points from 322.77 a week earlier. Other income groups also saw increases, with the SPI rising 0.76% for those earning Rs17,733–22,888, 0.61% for Rs22,889–29,517, 0.57% for Rs29,518–44,175, and 0.49% for those earning above Rs44,175.
Out of the 51 tracked items, 19 saw price increases, 12 experienced decreases, and 20 remained stable. Notably, chicken prices fell 7.96%, bananas 0.78%, and pulse gram 0.67%, while prices for gur, potatoes, LPG, eggs, cooking oil, and pulse moong also showed slight declines.
On the other hand, tomatoes saw the steepest increase, climbing 46.44% week-on-week. Other items with notable price hikes included petrol (1.72%), diesel (1.45%), garlic (1.41%), onions (1.22%), chili powder (0.72%), mutton (0.59%), beef (0.41%), vegetable ghee 1kg (0.22%), curd (0.19%), printed lawn fabric (0.17%), and cigarettes (0.07%).
Year-on-year comparisons reveal a mixed picture. While prices of onions, chicken, garlic, electricity for Q1, pulse gram, tea, and potatoes fell, tomatoes saw a staggering 89.81% increase. Other items with rising prices included ladies’ sandals (55.62%), sugar (33.73%), gas charges for Q1 (29.85%), pulse moong (15.27%), wheat flour (13.37%), diesel (12.57%), beef (12.48%), gur (12.15%), firewood (11.22%), and vegetable ghee in 1kg and 2.5kg packs (11.06% and 10.97%, respectively).
As the cost of essential goods continues to fluctuate, consumers across Pakistan are increasingly feeling the pressure of rising living expenses.
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