ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items especially sugar, eggs, ghee/cooking oil have witnessed further hike during this week past against the preceding week, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
The survey noted an increase in egg prices, which jumped from Rs5,000 per carton to Rs5,100 per carton containing 12 trays, each tray with 30 eggs in the wholesale market. In retail market, eggs are being sold at Rs180-200 per dozen. Sugar price further jumped from Rs4,950 per 50kg bag to Rs5300 per 50kg bag- setting a new all-time high wholesale price record.
Chicken price also witnessed an increase from Rs6,700 per 40kg to Rs6,800 per 40kg. Best quality ghee/cooking oil prices witnessed no change as good quality ghee/cooking oil is available at Rs260 per litre. While B-grade ghee and cooking oil price jumped further.
Rice prices are stable as best quality basmati rice is being sold at Rs3,900 per 25kg, normal quality basmati rice at Rs3,500 per 25kg, and prices of other rice brands are also stable on high side. The survey observed that flour mill owners have linked supply of government-sponsored wheat flour bag of 20kg costing Rs860 to retailers with the purchase of 15kg bag, which costs Rs995 per 15kg.
Owing to the condition set by the flour millers, most of the retailers are unable to purchase government-sponsored wheat flour as a result it is not available on majority of the shops. The survey also observed even most of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) outlets especially in rural areas of Rawalpindi/Islamabad are short of wheat flour.
Same is the situation with sugar availability on the USC outlets and the commodity is not available to the masses on subsidised rates as a result they are compelled to purchase expensive sugar from open market at Rs115-120 per kg. Wheat flour price remained stable at Rs995 per bag, which in retail is still being sold at Rs70 per kg, sugar prices in retail is being sold in the range of Rs150 per kg to Rs120 per kg, chicken in retail is being sold at Rs195 per kg against Rs185 per kg, chicken meat is being sold at Rs310 per kg against Rs300 per kg.
Normal quality ghee/cooking oil price, which witnessed a jumped from Rs2,730 per carton to Rs2,900 per carton, while in retail it is being sold at Rs185 per pack of 900 grams. Tomato price went up from Rs2,300 per basket of 13kg to Rs2,400 per basket, which in retail are being sold at Rs180-200 per kg.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) went further up by Rs10 per kg, Rs120 per domestic cylinder, and Rs450 per commercial cylinder. At present domestic cylinder of 11.8 kg LPG is available at Rs1,570, which is being sold at Rs1,700.
However during the week under review, pulses prices remained stable as moong is being sold at Rs240 per kg, lentil mash at Rs240 per kg, lentil gram at Rs140 per kg, best quality bean lentil at Rs260 per kg, masoor lentil at Rs140 per kg, and whole gram lentil at Rs150 per kg.
No changes were witnessed in milk prices during the week under review as packed milk prices including Nestle milk pack and Olpers are being sold at Rs40 per 200ml pack. Spices price is stable at Rs75 per 25 gram pack, while red powder chillies price reduced from Rs1,000 per kg to Rs850 per kg, and turmeric powder price is at Rs380 per kg.
The survey observed an increasing trend in the prices of vegetables as spinach price went up from Rs25 per bundle to Rs30 per bundle, and peas price went down from Rs1,300 per 5kg to Rs1,200 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs280 per kg against Rs300 per kg.
The ginger prices in wholesale market went up from Rs1,700 per 5kg to Rs1,800 per 5kg, while in retail is being sold at Rs360 per kg against Rs350 per kg. Garlic prices went up from Rs750 per 5kg to Rs800 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs190 per kg against Rs180 per kg.
Potatoes price came down from Rs320 per 5kg to Rs260 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs65 per kg against Rs75 per kg, and onion price came down from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs325 per 5kg, which in retail are still being sold at Rs80 per kg.
Bean price went up from Rs475 per 5kg to Rs500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs125 per kg, pumpkin price went up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs60 per kg against Rs50 per kg, okra price went further up from Rs220 per 5kg to Rs270 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs55 per kg, bitter gourd price went down from Rs300 per 5kg to Rs260 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs75 per kg.
Capsicum price went up from Rs750 per 5kg to Rs800 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs190 per kg against Rs170 per kg, tinda price went down from Rs500 per 5kg to Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs100 per kg against Rs120 per kg.
Cauliflower price jumped down from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs270 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs75 per kg against Rs90 per kg, cabbage price also went down from Rs325 per 5kg to Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs80 per kg against Rs85 per kg, yam price jumped from Rs375 per 5kg to Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs90 per kg against Rs85 per kg.
Fruit prices witnessed no significant changes during the week under review other than banana which is being sold at Rs55 per dozen against Rs90 per dozen, while normal banana price went down from Rs50-60 per dozen to Rs35-45 per dozen.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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