Lang
The federal government of Pakistan has ordered a comprehensive nationwide survey to assess the quality of loose edible oil, ghee, and milk. This directive comes after a recent laboratory review exposed significant quality deficiencies, with more than one-third (approximately 36 percent) of packaged food samples failing to meet national quality standards.
The mandate was issued during a session of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), presided over by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. Minister Iqbal instructed provincial governments, regional administrations, and relevant regulatory authorities to conduct a scientific evaluation of unpackaged edible oil, ghee, and milk sold throughout the country.
This decision follows extensive laboratory testing conducted by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) on 491 packaged food samples. The consolidated findings, prepared by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), revealed that only 315 samples met national quality criteria, while 176 failed to comply.
A detailed breakdown of the non-conforming samples indicated specific issues across various categories. Of 204 banaspati ghee samples, 98 failed; 40 of 146 blended cooking oil samples did not meet standards; and 26 of 104 packaged liquid milk samples were found deficient. Furthermore, 8 out of 18 milk powder samples, 3 out of 4 refined palm oil samples, and 1 out of 13 refined canola oil samples also failed to comply with prescribed quality benchmarks.
In response to these findings, Minister Iqbal has established a technical subcommittee. Comprising experts from the Ministry of Planning, PCSIR, and PSQCA, this subcommittee is tasked with reviewing the laboratory results and formulating recommendations for necessary regulatory and policy interventions.
Separately, the NPMC also reviewed national inflation trends, noting that headline inflation eased to 9.2 percent in July 2026, a decrease from 11.1 percent in June. Officials identified natural gas as the primary contributor to inflation, with housing, wheat flour, fresh milk, and petrol also exerting upward pressure on prices. Conversely, lower prices for sugar, potatoes, and chicken helped to moderate the overall inflation rate.
During the meeting, Minister Iqbal also directed provincial governments and district administrations to investigate significant wholesale and retail price discrepancies for essential commodities. They were further asked to propose measures aimed at enhancing market transparency and strengthening consumer protection.
Source: ProPakistani