Inflation has started to rise ahead of the holy month of Ramadan, with the annual rate reaching 5.80 per cent after an increase of 0.39 per cent in January.
According to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), prices rose on a monthly basis in January, with live broiler chicken increasing by 16 per cent, wheat by 10 per cent, tomatoes by 7 per cent, and wheat flour by up to 4.8 per cent. Fruit prices rose by 2.28 per cent, while spices recorded an increase of 2 per cent. Prices of fish, bakery items, mung beans, dry fruits, powdered milk and meat also showed an upward trend.
In contrast, onion and potato prices fell by 28 per cent in January, while overall vegetable prices declined by 16.59 per cent. Sugar prices dropped by 9.60 per cent and eggs became cheaper by 6 per cent. Prices of gram lentils, masoor, jaggery, mash beans, gram flour and cigarettes also declined during the previous month.
Data showed that the average inflation rate from July 2025 to January 2026 remained at 5.24 per cent.
