ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items have witnessed an increasing trend during this week past as compared with the previous week, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey observed sugar price jumped from Rs 4,620 per 49.5kg bag to Rs 5,100 per bag, while in retail market, it is still being sold at Rs100-105 per kg.
Chicken prices jumped from Rs 7,500 per 40kg to Rs 8,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs265 per kg against Rs235 per kg and chicken meat is being sold at Rs350 per kg against Rs320 per kg.
It was also observed that most of the shopkeepers have stopped selling sugar, saying they are unable to pay thousands of rupees fine to the deputy commissioner and the commissioner’s constituted price monitoring teams, which are forcing the shopkeepers to sell sugar at Rs86 per kg, while “we are getting sugar from wholesale market at Rs 5,100 per bag or Rs102 per kg”. The shopkeepers stated it is better to not sell the commodity and people should get it from the Utility Stores or from Ramazan Sasta Bazaars, but the commodity is also not available on Utility Stores and Sasta Bazaars.
Lemon price has reduced from Rs300 per kg to Rs250 per kg but a week before it was available at Rs100 per kg, while various qualities of dates are available in the range of Rs100-500 per kg.
Best quality cooking oil and ghee prices during the week under review remained unchanged but B-grade ghee/cooking oil 16 carton pack’s price jumped from Rs 3,380 per carton to Rs 3,500 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per pack of 900gram against Rs225 per kg. Since December 2020 best quality ghee/cooking oil price has witnessed an increase of Rs110 per kg from Rs250 per kg to Rs360 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs75 per pack of 900grams from Rs160 to Rs-125-235 per pack.
Egg prices both in wholesale as well as in retail markets witnessed no change as in wholesales market eggs are available at Rs 4,800 per carton which in retail market are being sold in the range of Rs170-175 per dozen.
No changes were observed in packed milk prices such as Milk Pack and Olper which is available at Rs42.5 per pack and litre pack at Rs160 per pack. Fresh milk and yogurt prices also remained unchanged at Rs140 per kg and Rs150 per kg respectively.
Prices of the various brands of rice have witnessed a reduction as best quality rice price reduced from Rs 5,700 per bag to Rs 5,300 per 50kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs160 per kg against Rs175 per kg, while normal quality rice brands are being sold at Rs80 per kg to Rs120 per kg.
Wheat flour price also witnessed a reduction as it decreased from Rs 1,330 per bag to Rs 1,250 per 20kg bag.
Price of moong in wholesale reduced from Rs 9,200 per 40kg Rs 8,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs220 per kg against Rs240 per kg. Maash price reduced from Rs 10,600 per 40kg to Rs 8,500 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per kg against Rs280 per kg, best quality lentil from Rs 6,000 per 40kg to Rs 5,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs170 per kg.
Best quality bean lentil from Rs 9,500 per 40kg bag to Rs 8,000 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs200 per kg against Rs260 per kg, masoor from Rs 6,000 per 40kg to Rs 5,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs170 per kg, and best quality whole gram from Rs 6,000 per 40kg to Rs 4,500 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs160 per kg.
A comparison of the prevailing market prices with the prices computed by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed a serious differences as the PBS has mentioned sugar price at Rs97.10 per kg, which in market on an average is available at Rs102.5 per kg.
Similarly, the PBS mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs 1,540 per 5kg tin, while in market is being sold Rs 1,560 per 5 kg tin. The PBS mentioned wheat flour price of Rs988.36 per 20kg bag but in market it is available at Rs 1,250 per 20kg bag.
Fresh milk price at Rs107.47 per kg, while in market it is being sold at Rs140 per kg, cooked daal plate at an average hotel is available at Rs95 per plate against the PBS mentioned price of Rs78.26 per plate, mutton in rural areas of Rawalpindi/ Islamabad is available at Rs 1,150 per kg while the PBS has mentioned it at Rs 1,030.58 per kg, while in urban areas of the twin cities mutton is being sold at Rs 1,250 per kg.
The survey noted an increasing trend in the prices of vegetables as potato price went up from Rs225 per 5kg to Rs270 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs65 per kg against Rs55 per kg, tomatoes price went down from Rs270 per 5kg to Rs250 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold at Rs60 per kg against Rs70 per kg, onion price went down from Rs150 per 5kg to Rs130 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs30 per kg against Rs40 per kg.
Ginger price remained stable at Rs 1,500 per 5kg which in retail market are being sold at Rs380 per kg and garlic prices remained stable at Rs750 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs180 per kg. Pumpkin prices went down from Rs300 per 5kg to Rs270 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs65 per kg against Rs75 per kg, okra price went up from Rs475 per 5kg to Rs500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs125 per kg against Rs120 per kg, capsicum price went up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail is available at Rs60-65 per kg against Rs50-55 per kg, fresh bean price is stable at Rs550 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs120-125 per kg, peas price went up from Rs410 per 5kg to Rs600 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs105 per kg, cauliflower price jumped from Rs150 per 5kg to Rs180 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs45 per kg against Rs40 per kg.
Fruit prices witnessed an increase as best quality banana price went up from Rs160 per dozen to Rs200 per dozen, while normal from Rs120-130 per dozen to Rs140-150 per dozen, guava price is stable at Rs100 per kg, grapes prices jumped from Rs240 per kg to Rs325 per kg, various brands of apple prices jumped from Rs100-250 per kg to Rs125-300 per kg range, various brands of oranges price from Rs70-220 per dozen to Rs100-250 per dozen, melon is being sold at Rs60 per kg, and strawberry at Rs200 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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