Onion Prices in Pakistan Soar to As High Rs. 320 Per Kg

The prices of onions have surged to as high as Rs. 320 per kg, according to data released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) on Friday. According to the data, onion prices in Islamabad have surged to as high as Rs. 320 per kg, while the prices in neighboring Rawalpindi are as high as Rs. 310 per kg. Prices in Gujranwala are Rs. 240 per kg, Sialkot Rs. 270 per kg, Lahore Rs. 240 per kg, Faisalabad Rs. 220 per kg, Karachi Rs. 220 per kg, and Rs. 270 per kg in Peshawar. As per the PBS data, the national average price of onions is around Rs. 230 per kg. It is pertinent to mention here that India banned onion exports in early December, the ban by India has increased onion exports from Pakistan which has caused prices in the local market to rise. Last week, the government increased the minimum export price (MEP) of onion from $750 per tonne to $1,200 per tonne, however, the measure has so far failed to bring down the prices in the local market.