Islamabad: Tomatoes have become a luxury in Pakistan. In Lahore, Karachi and other major cities, the price of a single kilo has shot up to an unbelievable PKR 700. Just weeks ago, the same cost only 100 rupees. The jump has stunned families and small eateries across the country. In many homes, tomatoes have vanished from the kitchen.
Local supply chains are broken. Flood-hit crops and the halt of trade with Afghanistan have deepened the shortage. For years, Pakistan relied on Afghan imports to fill market gaps. That flow has now stopped. Border tensions have left trucks stranded and markets empty.
Samaa TV reported that the country is witnessing one of its sharpest vegetable price surges in decades. In many markets, tomatoes now sell for more than chicken. Traders say the crisis is spreading fast, and prices are different in every city.
Punjab has been hit the hardest. In Jhelum, a kilo of tomatoes costs 700 rupees. In Gujranwala, the same sells for 575. Faisalabad markets have seen prices rising from 160 to 500 per kilo in a matter of days. In Multan, tomatoes now cost 450 rupees, though the official rate remains 170. Lahore’s wholesale price stands near 400 rupees (more than double the government list).
The impact of the Afghan border closure is visible across Quetta and Peshawar. Traders there say Afghan trucks have stopped crossing since the recent tensions began. One trader told Samaa TV that some supplies are arriving from Iran, but the disruption has already wrecked stability. Prices keep rising each day.
In many towns, families are switching to tomato paste, yogurt or dry spices to keep cooking affordable. Restaurant owners say they have cut down portions and changed recipes.
Local traders now warn that the crisis could worsen if the government does not act soon. Markets still wait for new consignments, but transport bottlenecks and regional instability have made recovery slow. The price of a humble tomato, once the most common item in every meal, has turned into a symbol of Pakistan’s deepening economic strain.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News