ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items have continued witnessing an upward trend, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder.
The survey revealed sugar price in the wholesale market has jumped from Rs 4,350 per 50kg bag to Rs 4,400, and normal quality wheat flour price jumped further from Rs 975 per 15kg bag to Rs 995, while premium quality wheat flour price jumped further from Rs 9,010 per 15kg bag to Rs 1,030.
The survey noted that ghee/cooking oil prices also increased as price of B-grade ghee/cooking oil in wholesale market jumped from Rs 2,400 per carton of 12 packs to Rs 2,650 per carton of 12 packs, which in retail is being sold at Rs 225 per 900gram pack.
Sugar prices which two months ago declined to Rs 3,750 per 50kg bag, since past seventh weeks are continually witnessing an increase as it has once again reached Rs 95 to Rs 100 per kg mark.
The survey observed an increase in the rice prices as fine quality Basmati rice price went up from Rs 5,400 per 40kg to Rs 5,800 per 40kg, normal quality from Rs 4,800 per 40kg to Rs 5,100 per 40kg, and broken basmati rice from Rs 3000 per 40kg to Rs 3,450 per 40kg.
Last week best quality ghee/cooking oil prices were increased from Rs 1,250 per 5 litre pack to Rs 1,320 per 5 litre pack in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs 1,350 per 5 litre bottle.
During past two months, best quality ghee/cooking oil prices have witnessed an increase of Rs 130 per 5 litre bottle or a Rs 26 per litre increase, while normal quality ghee-cooking oil brands have witnessed an increase of Rs 40 per 900 gram pack.
Eggs and chicken prices during the week under review registered a decline as egg prices in wholesale market dropped from Rs 5,600 per carton to Rs 5,000 per carton which in retail are being sold at Rs 180 per dozen against Rs 200 per dozen, chicken price reduced from Rs 6,600 per 40kg to Rs 6,300 per 40kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 170 per kg against Rs 180 per kg.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices and firewood also went up a week ago as the LPG cylinder of 15kg price jumped from Rs 2,100 per cylinder to Rs 2,400 per cylinder, firewood prices from Rs 700 per 40kg to Rs 800 per 40kg.
Milk and yogurt prices already increased with the start of the new-year as fresh milk is being sold at Rs 125 per kg against Rs 115 per kg and yogurt from Rs 120 per kg to Rs 140 per kg.
A comparison of the most essential kitchen items’ prices of past two years from January 2019 and January 2021 revealed that B-grade ghee/cooking oil prices during the period has jumped from Rs 140 per 900 gram pack to Rs 225 per 900 gram pack, while best quality ghee/cooking oil from Rs 990 per 5 litre tin to Rs 1,350 per litre tin.
Sugar price jumped from Rs 2,800 per 50kg bag to Rs 4,400 per 50kg bag, branded spices prices have been increased from Rs 55 per pack of 50 gram to Rs 75 per pack of 50 grams.
Prices of all the major pulses have witnessed a significant increase as fine quality white lentil (maash) from Rs 160 per kg to Rs 260 per kg, while normal quality from Rs 130 per kg against Rs 230 per kg, moong from Rs 90 per kg to Rs 220 per kg, good quality grams from Rs 160 per kg against Rs 200 per kg, kidney bean (Lobia) from Rs 120-150 per kg to Rs 220-250 per kg, and red lentil (masoor) at Rs 120 per kg against Rs 170 per kg.
Wheat flour price from Rs 785 per 20kg bag to Rs 1,350, egg price from Rs 100 per dozen to Rs 180, live chicken price from Rs 4,800 per 40kg to 6,300.
Meanwhile, there are serious differences between the price computed by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) and the prices prevailing in market as the PBS has mentioned sugar price at Rs92.95 per kg which in market is available at Rs 95-100 per kg.
Similarly, the PBS has mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs267.18 per kg while in market it is being sold at Rs280 per kg.
The PBS has mentioned wheat flour price of Rs 949.26 per 20kg bag but in the market it is available at Rs 1,350 per 20kg bag.
The survey noted that 15kg wheat flour bag is being sold in the range of Rs 990-1,030 per bag which is Rs 40.74 to Rs 70.74 expensive than the PBS mentioned prices of Rs 949.26 per 20kg bag.
The government-sponsored 20kg wheat flour bag is of Rs 860 but it is not available on majority of the shops as well as on the Utility Stores’ outlets.
Moreover, according to the shopkeepers, the flour millers have made the supply of 20kg wheat flour bag conditional with the purchase of 15kg bag. It is also observed that a majority of the people are not willing to purchase government-sponsored 20kg wheat flour bag, saying it is of inferior quality and not suitable for consumption.
The survey noted that prices of majority of vegetables and fruits remained stable.
Tomatoes price went down from Rs 400 per 5kg to Rs 300 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 90 per kg, onion price went down from Rs 230 per 5kg to Rs 175 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 45-50 per kg against Rs 55 per kg, potato price went down from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 180 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 45-50 per kg against Rs 60 against.
Ginger price went down from Rs 1,350 per 5kg to Rs 1,200 per 5kg which in retail market are being sold at Rs290 per kg against Rs 320 per kg and garlic prices remained stable at Rs 900 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 220 per kg.
Prices of most of the other vegetables witnessed a mixed trend during this week as cauliflower is available at Rs 25 per kg against Rs 40 per kg, cabbage at Rs 25 per kg against Rs 35 per kg, peas at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 100 per kg, cucumber went up from Rs 40 per kg to Rs 65 per kg, brinjal at Rs 45 per kg against Rs 35 per kg, fresh bean at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 70 per kg, maroo kadu at Rs 55 per kg against Rs 60 per kg, and pumpkin at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 65 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
Comments
Comments are closed.