PESHAWAR: Prices of essential food commodities have increased manifold as impacts of the rising petroleum commodities bacame visible in local retails and wholesale markets. According to a survey conducted by Business Recorder here in the local market on Sunday, an upward trend in prices of live chicken meat, flour, sugar, cooking oil/ghee, vegetables, fruits and pulses and other essentials was witnessed.
The survey noted that prices remained on high side in the retail market as one-kilogramme of live chicken/ meat was being sold at Rs241. Similarly, the survey added farm eggs are available within a range of Rs180-200 per dozen. Beef is being sold at Rs550-600 against the official fixed rates of Rs400 per kilogramme, while mutton was available within range of Rs1300-1400/- per kilogramme in the local market.
Fresh milk is being sold at Rs150-160 per litre while yogurt was being available at Rs120-140 per kilogramme, the survey noted. Traders and shopkeepers have attributed the increasing prices owing to continuous surge in rates of petroleum commodities and feared the prices of food items would further increase in coming days.
The survey noted that flour prices have risen in the retail and wholesale markets in Peshawar as bread-makers (nanbais) have also increased price of roti (naan) at Rs15-20 against the official price of Rs10. The price of an 80-kg flour bag has reached at Rs6000, while black marketing was also in full swing. An 85-kg bag is being sold from Rs6800-7000/- because of unavailability of 85-kg flour bag in the open market, according to the survey.
Likewise, the survey added the price of a 20-kg flour bag has also increased to Rs1350-1380 and Rs1400, which was being sold at Rs1100-1150 and Rs1250 a few days back. Sugar prices have touched a new peak in the wholesale and local market as five kilogramme sugar is being sold at Rs560 in the open market or Rs112-115 per kilogramme, according to the survey.
The survey furthermore revealed that the prices of cooking oil/ghee have also shown an upward trajectory in the local market. As different brands/quality of cooking oil/ghee were available within the range of Rs250 to Rs300 per kg/litre in wholesale market and Rs350-360 per kg/litre in the retail market.
Amid increasing prices of petroleum commodities, vegetable rates have also surged up in the local market. The survey revealed that ginger is being sold at Rs400-450 per kilogramme, onion at Rs70, and garlic at Rs250-300 per kilogramme. Tomatoes are being sold at Rs50-60 per kilogram against the price of Rs40 per kilogramme in the previous week.
Green chilli is being sold at Rs120 per kilogramme, whereas one-kilogramme lemon was being available at Rs120 per kilogramme in the retail market, the survey said. A one-kilogramme cucumber is being sold at Rs60 per kilogramme, it added.
According to the survey, arvi was being sold at Rs100 per kilogramme, bitter gourd (Karela) at Rs80 per kilogramme, ladyfinger at Rs100 per kg, kado at Rs80 per kilogramme, tori at Rs80 per kilogramme, cauliflower at Rs 80-100, cabbage at Rs80 per kilogramme, bringle at Rs60 per kilogramme, new seasonal red-potato at Rs80-90 and other potatoes available within range of Rs50-60 per kilogramme, while capsicum was being sold at Rs120 per kilogramme.
The survey noticed the prices of food grains/ grocery items remained unchanged in the local market. It was revealed that good quality rice (sela) was being sold at Rs 150-160 per kilogramme, while other qualities were being available within range of Rs120-130 and Rs140 per kg, while toota (broken) rice was being sold at Rs80-90 per kilogramme.
Likewise, red beans were being sold within range of Rs180 and Rs 200-220 per kilogramme and white lobiya at Rs200 per kilogramme. Large size white-channa (gram) was available at Rs140 per kilogramme while small size gram at Rs120 per kilogramme, mash dal was being sold at Rs260 per kilogramme, dhoti dal at Rs220 per kilogramme, and dal masoor at Rs160 per kilogramme. Dal chilka (green) was available at Rs160 while dal chilka (black) was being sold at Rs220 per kilogramme.
The survey noted that the prices of fruits were almost out of the purchasing power of common man in the local market. Golden apples are being sold at Rs150 per kilogramme, the survey said. Similarly, it added that bananas were available at Rs 80-100 per dozen, guava was being sold at Rs100-120 per kilogramme, pomegranate at Rs200-250 per kilogramme, persimmons (amlok) at Rs100-120 per kilogramme, and grapes at Rs150-200 per kilogramme.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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