The price of tomatoes has skyrocketed to Rs700 per kilogram in certain parts of Punjab, according to reports. In Sialkot, tomatoes were sold at Rs700 per kg on Tuesday, while in Rawalpindi and Lahore, the prices were Rs400 and Rs300 per kg, respectively.
This contrasts sharply with the government-set rate of Rs180 per kg.
There is a notable price hike in other vegetables. Potatoes, priced officially at Rs88 per kg, are being sold for Rs100, while onions are available at Rs160 per kg.
A shopkeeper explained that the high prices of tomatoes are due to their import from foreign countries. He added that road closures during PTI protests caused a supply shortage, further driving up prices.
In contrast, chicken meat prices have seen a reduction of Rs15 per kilogram over the last two days, with an additional decrease of Rs7 today, bringing the official rate down to Rs475 per kg. The wholesale price of live broiler chickens has also fallen by Rs5 per kg, now at Rs314, while the retail rate has dropped to Rs328 per kg. However, egg prices have risen amid these fluctuations.
