According to a Gilani Research Foundation Survey carried out by Gallup & Gilani Pakistan, 86% Pakistanis unanimously agree that the prices of food items have risen significantly in the past six months.
A representative sample of men and women from across the four provinces was asked, “In your opinion, how have the prices of food items today changed compared to six months ago?” In response, 52% said food items have become very expensive, 34% said they have become expensive, and 4% said they have not changed. 6% claimed the food items would become cheaper, 3% claimed they would be much cheaper and 1% said they do not know/did not wish to respond.
Urban-Rural Breakdown: Higher proportion of rural residents believe the prices of food items have become very expensive
Out of the total rural respondents, 57% said food items have become very expensive compared to 42% of urban respondents. 31% rural respondents claimed they would be expensive compared to 34% urban respondents. 5% rural and 9% urban respondents believe the prices for food items have not changed. 7% rural residents and 14% of the urban respondents claimed that the food prices would be cheaper/much cheaper. Only 1% for urban respondents said they did not know/did not wish to respond.
Note: According to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, CPI inflation in general increased by 12.4% on year-on-year basis in February 2020 as compared to an increase of 14.6% in the previous month and 6.8% in February 2019. On month-on-month basis, it decreased by 1% in February 2020 as compared to an increase of 2.0% in the previous month and an increase of 0.9% in February 2019.