ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential daily-use items such as ghee, cooking oil, and flour have once again increased across Pakistan, placing additional strain on household budgets.
According to market sources, the price of high-quality ghee and cooking oil is now up by PKR 3 per kg to PKR 598 per kg. Sunflower cooking oil, on the other hand, is available at PKR 618 per kg, the highest price of recent days. The rising prices make it harder for common people to afford quality cooking oil.
The prices of flour are also soaring. In the last week, the prices of 10 to 20 kg flour bags have risen by PKR 120 to 200 per bag, and mostly impact poorer segments. Flour is a basic necessity for families, and any rise in the price of this item adds to the pressure.
It is being stated that increasing expenses of utilities such as electricity, gas, fuel, rent, etc., have made it tough for common people to maintain the budget. Now increasing prices of essentials such as ghee, cooking oil, and flour have added more stress to their financial situation.
Solar panel prices hit historic lows in Pakistan
Meanwhile, consumers in Pakistan are set to benefit from record-low solar panel prices, making it an ideal time for households and businesses to invest in solar energy. Experts say that falling costs in the global solar market have translated into significant price reductions for solar systems in Pakistan.
Industry sources reveal that the global price per watt now stands at approximately PKR 13.50, which is historically the lowest price ever. Specialists emphasize that this development can be attributed to growing global production, along with stabilized sales of solar power, which will allow citizens to get access to this resource without paying extra amounts.
In addition, price cuts will mean new policies introduced by authorities, such as removing all licensing requirements for small-scale solar installations (less than 25 kW).
Experts in the field claim that installation of a solar power system represents a sensible investment in view of increasing prices of conventional electricity, as well as frequent load-shedding problems. It appears that there are substantial decreases in the prices of popular systems with output ranging between 5 kW and 10 kW.
According to experts, if the ongoing market trends of solar power in the global market continue, prices in Pakistan may drop even lower in the coming months, leading to increased consumption of renewable energy and savings on electricity bills for consumers.
