48% vanaspati ghee, 75% refined palm oil, 44% packaged milk samples found substandard
Pakistan Today (08/08/2026) - About 48% of vanaspati ghee samples, 75% of refined palm oil samples and 44% of packaged milk samples collected from markets nationwide were found substandard and could pose serious heart disease risks, according to findings the Ministry of Planning released on Friday.
The findings were based on 491 samples of vanaspati ghee, edible oil and packaged milk, tested by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) and reviewed at a meeting of the National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC) chaired by Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal.
Of the 491 samples, 176 failed to meet required specifications, a non-conformance rate of approximately 36%.
The consolidated findings were submitted by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), with 315 samples found conforming to national quality standards.
Among vanaspati ghee samples, 98 out of 204, or 48%, failed to meet standards.
For blended cooking oil, 40 out of 146 samples, or 27%, failed. For packaged liquid milk, 26 out of 104 samples, roughly one-fourth, did not meet standards.
Eight out of 18 milk powder samples, three out of four refined palm oil samples, and one out of 13 refined canola oil samples also failed to conform.
One sample showed milk fat content of just 0.8%, against a minimum requirement of 3.5%. Samples from leading multinational milk producers were found compliant, while quality issues were concentrated among relatively unknown local brands.
Iqbal took serious note of growing public concern over rising cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable illnesses, particularly among younger Pakistanis. He directed provincial governments, regional administrations and relevant regulatory authorities to conduct a nationwide survey of loose, unpackaged edible oil, ghee and milk sold across the country.
The assessment was carried out on the planning minister's directions and presented by the Ministry of Science and Technology through PCSIR.
Separately, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics briefed the committee that headline inflation declined to 9.2% in July 2026.
Natural gas remained the largest contributor to inflation, while housing, wheat flour, fresh milk and petrol continued to exert upward pressure on prices. Lower prices of sugar, potatoes and chicken helped moderate overall inflation.
The committee also raised concern over significant wholesale-retail price differences across cities.
Iqbal directed provincial governments and district administrations to investigate these market distortions and propose measures to reduce price gaps and ensure fair pricing for consumers.