KARACHI: After the recent tomato crisis, consumers in Karachi are now grappling with a sharp surge in onion prices, which have doubled to Rs220 per kilogram from Rs110-120 within days, driven by supply shortages and cross-border trade issues.
While tomato prices have dropped to Rs200 per kg from their record Rs700 peak, onion prices remain under severe pressure due to limited arrivals from Sindh’s new crop and the closure of Pak-Afghan trade following border clashes.
Haji Shahjehan, president of the Falahi Anjuman Wholesale Vegetable Market Super Highway, said the Sindh crop’s supply has started but at a slow pace, which may not stabilize prices before mid-November. A small volume of onions from Iran is entering Pakistan, but border clearance delays and higher Iranian prices are restricting imports.
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The wholesale rate of onions has soared to Rs6,000–6,500 per 40 kg, up from Rs3,000–3,500 earlier this month, forcing many traders to suspend exports. Meanwhile, the official retail rate fixed by the Commissioner Karachi stands at Rs104 per kg, but actual market prices hover between Rs200–220 per kg, exposing a wide gap between policy and ground realities.
Market insiders also reported similar price hikes across Punjab, where a 105-kg bag now sells for around Rs23,000. Despite the Economic Survey FY25 noting a 16% rise in national onion production to 2.67 million tonnes, the ongoing logistical disruptions and border closures continue to fuel instability in retail markets.
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