With the consumers starting to experience some relief due to the drop in the prices of vegetables, the increase in the prices of chicken and fruit has further burdened the household budgets and countered the recent relief.

The prices of chicken were recovering at a high rate after two consecutive weeks of drop, with the prices increasing by Rs50 per kilogram in a span of a week. Market observers expect the growth trend to continue in the next few weeks as the poultry farmers stabilize output slowly and supply and prices will recover steadily.

Meanwhile, the prices of fruits could not be predicted as the cross-border trade was continually disrupted. Although, the restricted inflows of Iran offered a slight relief, there were still constant delays and interruptions at the Pakistan Afghanistan border that were straining supply chains to push the prices of fruit higher in most categories.

On the poultry market, the price of live chicken rose by 35 per kg and has now reached between 319 and 333 per kg, though the actual retail price is higher. Chicken meat was officially priced at Rs482/kg with the actual price going between Rs540 and Rs630/kg, and boneless chicken was priced at Rs750 to Rs850/kg.

Potatoes, sugar-free potatoes were sold at a price of between Rs130 to 150 per kg, onions at a price of between 150 to 180 and tomatoes were sold at between 150 to 220. The prices of garlic were also different with the local garlic costing Rs300 per kg, Harani garlic costing Rs400 and Chinese garlic costing Rs600.

Thai ginger was also going down at Rs50-Rs480-500 per kg and Chinese ginger was also down at Rs40, selling at Rs600 to Rs700 per kg. Farm cucumber costed between Rs120 and Rs150/kg, local cucumber costed Rs200 with brinjal costing between Rs80 and Rs100 and bitter gourd costing between Rs120 and Rs150/kg.

Prices remained on the increasing path on the fruit front. There were apples ranging between Rs250 and Rs600 per kg, bananas valued between Rs120 and Rs180 per dozen, guavas at 200-250 per kg and dates at 800-2000 per kg. Grapes (Gola) cost between Rs700 and Rs800/kg, Tofi grapes, between Rs800 and 1000/kg and black grapes between Rs1000 and 1200/kg. The prices of pomegranate Khandhari ranged between Rs800 and Rs1,200 per kg and the Danedar pomegranate had a price of between Rs1,200 and Rs1,400 per kg.

All in all, the week was characterized by slight reprieve amid the vegetable prices since the local supply was enhanced, yet the persisting spike in the prices of chicken and fruits continued to strain the weekly consumer expenses.