The price trajectory of most of the food items has registered steep rise two weeks ahead of the holy month of Ramazan, revealed FAFEN's Retail Price Monitor. The report covering (June-July 2010) showed that of total 69 commodities, the prices of 35, mostly food basket consumables, have registered steep increase while the prices of 28 items have gone done slightly in July as compared to June 2010.
Prices of fresh food items like tomatoes, potatoes, garlic and mangoes have registered increase in July 2010 as compared to the preceding month in most parts of the country. The prices of 22 commodities increased in capital territory Islamabad, 44 commodities in Punjab, 33 in Sindh, 10 in Khyber PukhtoonKhwa, 21 in Balochistan and 33 in Fata.
Gram white registered the highest price increase at 75.44 percent per kg in July as compare to its price in June in Islamabad. This was followed by potato's with 45.45 percent, Bananas per dozen with 33.33 percent and red chillies with 20 percent increase in price in the month of July.
The prices of two most essential kitchen items tomatoes and potatoes registered an increase of 35 percent and 11 percent, respectively in the month of July. The garlic price went up by 9 percent in July as compared to June 2010. Potato and garlic prices continued an upward trend for the second consecutive month. Mango prices, which were quite low in June, went up by 6 percent in July. Sugar prices also increased by 7 percent, perhaps as information of inadequate stocks of this commodity started reaching the market, with fears of yet another sugar crisis.
Meat prices also went up in July as compared to June with beef increasing by 5 percent, chicken by 3 percent and mutton by 2 percent and are likely to further go up during Ramzan. Fresh milk and yoghurt prices also registered an increase of 2 percent each. Basmati rice price was up slightly by 1percent in July as compared to June. While the prices of Mash, Lobia, gram and moong pulses were up by 4 percent, 3 percent, 2 percent and 1 percent respectively. Firewood price increased by 8 percent in the reporting month as compared to the preceding month.
In general-use consumer items, the price of washing powder and toothpaste decreased by l percent and 6 percent respectively, in July as compared with June. Apples were available at l3 percent lower prices. Dry dates and bananas were also relatively cheaper in July as compared to June 2010 showing 7 percent and 4 percent decrease in prices respectively.
According to the report there was a wide regional variance in terms of changes in the prices of some essential commodities. For instance, the price of tomatoes, the food item with the most fluctuating price, registered an increase in price in most areas of the country but the price of the same commodity decreased by 14 percent in the province of Balochistan due to harvesting season of this commodity in reporting month. There was a nominal increase of 1 percent in the price of Basmati rice nation-wide, but it increased by 28 percent in Fata.
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