ISLAMABAD: Sugar, wheat flour, second-grade ghee/cooking oil, eggs, and vegetable prices have reached record high levels, a survey carried out by Business Recorder here on Saturday revealed.
The survey observed an unprecedented increase in wheat flour and sugar prices, which have set new records as wheat flour 25kg bag price jumped up from Rs1,300 per 25kg bag to Rs1,440 per bag, and sugar price breaking the past record of Rs4,200 per 50kg bag reached Rs4,220 per bag.
The survey also observed that the wheat flour millers had linked the supply of 20kg wheat flour bag with the purchase of 25kg wheat flour bag.
The government has set Rs 860 retail price for 20 kg wheat flour bag, while no miller is ready to supply this bag to retailers as millers have conditioned it with the purchase of 25kg wheat flour bag, which is being sold at Rs 1,440.
Sugar in retail market is being sold at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 87 per kg, while wheat flour is being sold at Rs 65 per kg against Rs 60 per kg.
Traders told Business Recorder that within past two months the prices of first and second-grade ghee/cooking oil have witnessed fourth increase, despite a reduction in global market prices.
They said that second-grade ghee/cooking oil price has jumped from Rs 2,400 per carton to Rs2,500 per carton, while at the start of June, it was available at Rs2,150 per carton, while during this week first-grade cooking oil/ghee prices remained unchanged at Rs 1,250 per five litre bottle.
The survey observed a further increase in the prices of other essential kitchen items including vegetables, eggs, chicken and fruits following an increase in petrol and diesel rates on June 26th by the federal government.
Traders said that sugar price has jumped from Rs 4,050 per 50kg bag to Rs4,220 per bag, chicken at Rs7,200 per 40kg and eggs in the wholesales market at Rs125 per dozen against Rs123 per dozen.
Chicken in retail market is being sold at Rs215 per kg, while chicken meat price at Rs340 per kg, egg prices jumped up from Rs123 per dozen to Rs125 per dozen in the wholesale market, while in retail, eggs are being sold at Rs140 per dozen against Rs135 per dozen.
During the week under review, prices of majority of the pulses remained stable as moong is being sold at Rs290 per kg, maash is being sold at Rs250-260 per kg, best quality lobia at Rs300 per kg, masoor at Rs160 per kg, chana at Rs135 per kg against Rs150 per kg. No changes were witnessed in top brands of ghee/cooking oil, tea, spices, powder milk, salt, chillis, turmeric, and other items.
Serious shortage of wheat flour and sugar was observed at the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) outlets for which the government has provided multi-billion rupees in subsidies. The USC outlets have shortage of subsidised stuff or are selling at market prices.
These outlets are facing serious sugar shortage for the past six months, despite the fact that the government has allowed the USC to purchase 60,000 tons of sugar but majority of the utility outlets have no stocks.
During the week, vegetables prices further witnessed an increasing trend as best quality potato price jumped from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs375 per 5kg, while normal is available at Rs320 per 5kg against Rs300 per 5kg.
In retail market, best quality potatoes are being sold at Rs85 per kg against Rs80 per kg, while normal at Rs70 per kg against Rs70 per kg against Rs65 per kg, onions price went down from Rs220 per 5kg to Rs150 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs40 per kg against Rs55 per kg.
Tomato price went further up from Rs400 per 5kg to Rs435 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs100 per kg.
Garlic price is stable at Rs750 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs200 per kg, and ginger price went further up from Rs1,700 per 5kg to Rs2,000 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs450 per kg against Rs400 per kg.
Overall, fruit prices witnessed an increasing trend as best quality white apple price has jumped from Rs200 per kg to Rs210 per kg, while normal is available in the range of Rs140-160 per kg, Gajja apple is being sold at Rs150 per kg against Rs140 per kg.
Good quality banana is being sold at Rs100 per dozen against Rs120 per dozen, while normal quality at Rs70-80 per dozen.
Various qualities of melons are available in the range of Rs40-100 per kg, various qualities of peach in the range of Rs150-250 per kg against Rs100-225 per kg.
Mangoes are available in the range of Rs90-150 per kg; outgoing cherry is available at Rs350 per kg, apricot at Rs150 per kg against Rs180 per kg, lychee at Rs350 per kg and falsa at Rs300 per kg against Rs275 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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