As Muharram begins and communal food distributions gain momentum, catering services across Rawalpindi have sharply increased prices for traditional large-scale meals known as degs. The surge comes amid rising demand for food distribution during Ashura and increased costs tied to the recent federal budget.
Vendors are now requiring customers to pay 50% of the total order amount upfront. Notices at several catering outlets have warned that bookings for the 9th and 10th of Muharram will be closed starting tomorrow, with no new orders accepted after the 6th.
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Prices for popular dishes have climbed by Rs1,000 to Rs1,500 per order in the open market. A chicken haleem deg now costs Rs10,000, beef haleem Rs11,400, and mutton haleem Rs33,000. Chickpea pulao is priced at Rs12,000, chicken pulao at Rs16,000, and vegetable pulao at Rs10,400. Mutton pulao has jumped to Rs35,000, while biryani dishes range from Rs20,000 for chicken or mixed to Rs33,000 for mutton.
Other essentials have also seen price hikes. A set of 100 clay pots of kheer now costs Rs17,500, chicken qorma is Rs16,000, and mutton qorma is priced at Rs29,600. Sweet rice (zarda) is being sold at Rs9,000, and a set of 100 naan packets is available for Rs3,000.
Faisal Mufti, Secretary of the Catering Food Association Rawalpindi, attributed the spike to rising costs of ingredients such as rice, pulses, meat, poultry, and spices, as well as fuel. He acknowledged that Muharram and Eid Miladun Nabi are peak seasons for caterers, and price increases are an annual pattern during these months.
Despite the hike, demand remains strong. Mufti confirmed that orders will close after the 6th of Muharram, with new bookings only taken after Ashura.
