By Farooq Awan

Wholesale prices in Pakistan recorded a sharp increase in April 2026, with the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) rising by 13.6% on a year-on-year basis, reflecting a significant acceleration compared to previous months.

According to the “Monthly Review on Price Indices April 2026” released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and available with Wealth Pakistan, wholesale inflation also increased by 5.1% on a month-on-month basis, indicating strong upward pressure at the producer and bulk market levels.

The data shows that WPI inflation stood at 6.7% year-on-year in March 2026 before rising to 13.6% in April, marking a notable jump within a single month. In April 2025, wholesale prices had declined by 2.2% on a year-on-year basis, highlighting the magnitude of the current increase.

A breakdown of the WPI components indicates that the largest contribution came from the “other transportable goods” category, which surged by 39.95% year-on-year. This group alone contributed 9.83 percentage points to the overall increase, making it the dominant driver of wholesale inflation.

Fuel-related items also recorded substantial increases. Kerosene oil prices rose by 154.87% year-on-year, diesel by 92.93%, motor spirit by 48.58%, and furnace oil by 42.32%, reflecting a broad-based rise in energy costs across the wholesale market.

Food-related wholesale prices also showed upward movement. Wheat increased by 43.43% year-on-year, wheat flour by 31.19%, vegetables by 36.47%, and other food products by 30.95%. Dried fruits and nuts rose by 26.76%, while maize prices increased by 16.60%.

Industrial inputs also recorded gains. Printing paper increased by 18.24%, dyeing material by 22.99%, pesticides by 14.04%, and insecticides by 13.45%. Metal products, machinery and equipment registered a 3.90% year-on-year increase, while ores, minerals, electricity, gas and water rose by 8.62%.

On a month-on-month basis, several key items recorded sharp increases in April. Vegetables rose by 34.44%, kerosene oil by 24.93%, furnace oil by 23.38%, diesel by 22.66%, and motor spirit by 21.32%. Eggs increased by 18.06%, while cement rose by 5.25% and fertilizers by 2.88%.

However, some items recorded declines on a yearly basis. Edible roots and potatoes decreased by 47.43%, sugar by 12.26%, pulses by 13.29%, and poultry by 9.39%. Cotton seeds declined by 9.54%, while other cereal flour dropped by 20.66%.

The data also shows that the overall WPI index increased by 5.07% compared to March 2026, reflecting continued upward momentum in wholesale prices. The agriculture, forestry and fishery group rose by 2.77% year-on-year, while food, beverages, tobacco, textiles and leather products increased by 5.41%.

The sustained increase in wholesale prices indicates rising costs at the production and distribution levels, as reflected in the official data.

Credit: INP-WealthPk