ISLAMABAD: Sugar price has witnessed an increase of Rs200 per 50kg bag, wheat flour price Rs115 per 25kg bag, and egg prices witnessed an increase of Rs5 per dozen, a survey carried out by Business Recorder here on Saturday revealed.
The survey noted a further unprecedented increase in wheat flour and sugar prices, which have set new record as wheat flour 25kg bag price jumped from Rs1,140 per 25kg bag to Rs1,555 per bag, and sugar price breaking the past week's record of Rs4,220 per 50kg bag reached Rs4,420 per bag.
The wheat flour millers have linked the supply of government controlled price wheat flour bag of 20kg (priced at Rs860) with the purchase of 25kg wheat flour bag. Traders told this correspondent that in the coming next months, sugar price is likely to touch Rs5,000 per 50kg mark, therefore, the government needs to take serious steps in checking the prices, otherwise, it will go out of the reach of common man like majority of the pulses.
They said that a year ago, pulses were available in the range of Rs120 to Rs200 per kg, which had now reached Rs160 to Rs320 per kg mark. The government has set Rs860 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 last week was being sold at Rs1,440 but this week reached all time high rate of Rs1,555.
Sugar in retail market is being sold at Rs95 per kg against Rs90 per kg, while wheat flour is being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs65 per kg. Traders told Business Recorder that within past two months, prices of wheat flour, sugar, eggs and the second-grade ghee/cooking oil have witnessed continue increase.
They said that second-grade ghee-cooking oil price has jumped from Rs2,110 per carton to Rs2,510 per carton, while during this week, first-grade cooking oil/ghee prices remained unchanged at Rs1,250 per 5 litre bottle.
Rice prices also witnessed an increase during this week as the best quality Basmati rice price jumped from Rs5,500 per 40kg to Rs6,100 per 40kg and 2nd best quality from Rs5,000 per 40kg to Rs5,400, while broken Basmati rice price jumped from Rs3,500 per 40kg to Rs4,000.
Egg price in wholesales market has jumped from Rs125 per dozen to Rs127 per dozen, which in retail are being sold at Rs135 per dozen to Rs140 per dozen, the highest egg prices in the summer season. However, during the week, chicken price has come down from Rs7,200 per 40kg to Rs6,500 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs185 per kg against Rs215 per kg, while chicken meat price went down from Rs340 per kg to Rs290 per kg.
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, channa 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.
No improvement in the supply of subsidised wheat flour and sugar was witnessed at the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) outlets for which the government has provided billions of rupees in subsidies. The USC outlets for months are facing shortage of subsidized items or selling at market prices.
These outlets are facing serious sugar shortage, despite the government has allowed the USC to purchase 60,000 tons of sugar but majority of the outlets have no stocks. During the week, vegetables prices witnessed a declining trend as best quality potatoes price went down from Rs375 per 5kg to Rs300 per 5kg while normal is available at Rs275 per 5kg against Rs320 per 5kg.
In retail market, best quality potatoes are being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs85 per kg, while normal at Rs60 per kg against Rs70 per kg, onions price is stable at Rs150 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs40 per kg. Tomato price went down from Rs435 per 5kg to Rs325 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs80 per kg against 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 Rs2,000 per 5kg to Rs2,200 per 5kg, setting a new record, which in retail market is being sold at Rs500 per kg against Rs450 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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