7.3.4. Food security

Irfan Farooq and Jannat Rashid highlighted the ‘impact of urbanization on food security in Lahore’ in a 2024 research paper. They concluded that the decrease of agricultural land in Lahore through urbanisation and large-scale rural to urban migration, as well as high demand for nutritious food have significantly increased pressure on food resources.2232 Furthermore, according to The Express Tribune, the heavy 2025 monsoon floods also had a significant impact on agriculture, resulting in the destruction of crops and livestock. Consequently, staple food prices in Lahore spiked by 30-70 % by September 2025, and there were frequent shortages of vegetables, milk and meat.2233

As of February 2026, the WFP classified the following commodities in Lahore as ‘stressed’ as per the Alert for Price Spikes (ALPS) price measuring system: ghee,2234 moong lentils, milk, cooking oil, sugar and wheat flour; rice (coarse and broken Basmati) and wheat were classified as alerted. For example, the monthly average price for wheat in Lahore was 117 Pakistani Rupees [approximately EUR 0.4] per kilogram, while the daily wage of a non-qualified labourer was listed as 1 547 Pakistani Rupees [approximately EUR 4.7].2235 Pakistan Today’s business magazine Profit reported in December 2025 that consumers in Lahore remained under inflationary pressure. Rising costs in other areas such as electricity and gas have made it more difficult to cope with higher food prices, according to consumers.2236

The Punjab government subsidises essential food items through so-called Sahulat Bazaars, markets, providing consumers with discounts of up to seven percent.2237 As of December 2025, 10 Sahulat Bazaars had been launched in Lahore, offering commodities such as vegetables, poultry, fruits and grocery items.2238