Islamabad, September 5, 2025 – Food inflation in Pakistan recorded a notable jump during the past week as supply chain disruptions caused by ongoing floods continued to push up essential commodity prices, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The PBS analysis of the weekly Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) revealed that the index for the week ending September 4, 2025, rose by 1.29 percent. This surge in food inflation was mainly driven by sharp increases in the prices of tomatoes (46.03%), wheat flour (25.41%), onions (8.57%), basmati rice broken (2.62%), and garlic (2.04%). Potatoes, pulses, and basic household items such as bread also saw moderate hikes.
Conversely, a few items witnessed price declines. Bananas dropped by 3.86%, diesel by 0.91%, sugar by 0.13%, and mustard oil by 0.10%. Out of 51 essential goods monitored, 23 items (45.10%) became costlier, 4 items (7.84%) fell in price, while 24 items (47.06%) showed no change.
On a year-on-year basis, overall inflationary pressures remained high, with the SPI reflecting an increase of 5.07%. The steepest annual price rise was observed in tomatoes (83.45%), ladies’ sandals (55.62%), wheat flour (30.27%), and gas charges (29.85%). Meanwhile, onions, garlic, and pulses registered notable declines.
Economists warn that food inflation could persist in the coming weeks if flood damage continues to hinder transportation and crop supplies, adding further pressure to household budgets and the overall cost of living in Pakistan.