ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items kept witnessing an increasing trend during this week past as compared with the previous week, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
The survey observed chicken price, which remained on the lower side for two weeks have witnessed an increase of Rs500 per 40kg from Rs7,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market to Rs7,500 per 40kg,while in retail, it is being sold at Rs200 per kg against Rs190 per kg, while chicken meat price went up from Rs300 per kg to Rs320 per kg.
Eggs prices also witnessed an increase as it jumped from Rs4,980 per carton to Rs5,200 per carton, and in retail from Rs175 to Rs182 per dozen.
Firewood and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price remained stable at Rs850 per 40kg and Rs270 per kg, while 15kg LPG cylinder is being sold at Rs3,400 per cylinder. LPG in hilly areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan is being sold in the range of Rs280 per kg to Rs300 per kg.
Best quality cooking oil Dalda prices is stable at Rs415 per 5-litre pack, while B-grade cooking oil brands like Phool price went up from Rs4,500 per carton to Rs4,580 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per pack of 900gram against Rs295 per pack.
Ghee and cooking oil prices since December 2020 are on the rise as during this period best quality ghee/cooking oil price has witnessed an increase of Rs165 per kg from Rs250 per kg to Rs415 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs140 per pack of 900grams from Rs160 to Rs300 per pack.
During the week under review, wheat flour prices witnessed a reduction as good quality wheat flour bag of 15kg price in the wholesale market went down from Rs1,100 per 15kg to Rs1,050 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,070 against Rs1,220 per bag. The price of government-sponsored wheat flour bag of 20kg remained unchanged at Rs1,140 per bag.
Sugar price went down from Rs4,000 per bag to Rs4,300 per 50kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs98 per kg against Rs100 per kg. Sugar prices are declining due to the start of crushing season as well as government’s intervention in the market of supplying imported commodity at Rs90 per kg through the Utility Stores outlets and temporary/mobile outlets. According to traders, sugar prices are likely to remain on the lower side till March 2022 due to sufficient stocks but after that big dealers can exploit the situation in accordance with the international market trends.
Pulses prices witnessed an increase as fine quality mash price in retail jumped from Rs290 per kg to Rs300 per kg, best quality lentil from Rs195 per kg to Rs210 per kg, best quality bean lentil price is stable at Rs290 per kg, masoor price jumped from Rs200 per kg to Rs220 per kg, best quality whole gram is stable at Rs200 per kg, and moong price jumped from Rs140 per kg to Rs165 per kg. Fresh milk as well as packed milk prices remained stable during the week. Packed milk suppliers such as Milk Pak and Olpers have intimated the traders of increasing one litre milk pack price from Rs160 per litre to Rs165 per pack. Packed salt powder price jumped from Rs30 per pack to Rs32 per pack of 800 grams.
Overall vegetables prices witnessed a mixed trend as potato price went down from Rs300 per 5kg to Rs220 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50 per kg against Rs70 per kg, onion price is stable at Rs150 per 5kg, which in retail is available at Rs40 per kg, and tomato price went down from Rs370 per 5kg to Rs320 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs85 per kg.
Cucumber price went up from Rs300 per 5kg to Rs325 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs75 per kg against Rs70 per kg. Prices of various quality of garlic went up from Rs700-1,400 per 5kg to Rs750-1,450 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs190-340 per kg against Rs137-300 per kg. Ginger price went further up from Rs1,450 per 5kg to Rs1,500 per 5kg, which in the retail market is being sold at Rs330 per kg against Rs300 per kg. Capsicum price went down from Rs550 per 5kg to Rs450 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs110 per kg against Rs130 per kg, fresh bean price went further down from Rs320 per 5kg to Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs75 per kg, peas price remained stable at Rs450 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs110 per kg.
A comparison of the prevailing market prices and the prices computed by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed some serious differences as the PBS has mentioned 11.8kg LPG cylinder price at Rs2,345.17 per domestic cylinder of 11.8kg but in retail, it is being sold at Rs2,550 per cylinder. The PBS mentioned sugar price at Rs90.21 per kg, while in the market on an average, sugar is available at Rs90 per kg. The PBS mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price at Rs2,056.90 per 5kg tin, while in the market it is being sold at Rs2,060 per 5kg tin. The PBS mentioned wheat flour price of Rs1,175 per 20kg bag but in the market it is available at Rs1,400 per 20kg bag. Fresh milk price at Rs114.30 per kg, while in the market it is being sold at Rs140 per kg, cooked daal plate at an average hotel is available at Rs140 against the PBS mentioned price of Rs83.04. Mutton in rural areas of Rawalpindi/Islamabad is available at Rs1,350 per kg, while the PBS has mentioned it at Rs1,146.51 per kg, while in urban areas of the twin cities, mutton is being sold at Rs1,400 per kg. The PBS has mentioned beef with bones price at Rs571.70, while it is being sold in the range of Rs650-700 per kg, while boneless beef is available at Rs800 per kg.
Prices of all the fruits went up during this week as best quality apple prices jumped from Rs300 per kg to Rs320 per kg, Kala Kilo apple price jumped from Rs160 to Rs175 per kg, golden apple price jumped from Rs120 per kg to Rs150 per kg, white apple price went down from Rs125 per kg to Rs120 per kg, guava from Rs100 per kg to Rs110 per kg, best quality banana from Rs120 per dozen to Rs140 per dozen, and normal quality banana from Rs75 per dozen to Rs90 per dozen.
Various qualities of oranges are available in the range of Rs80-150 per dozen against Rs75-120 per dozen, best quality pomegranate price jumped from Rs270 per kg to Rs380 per kg and normal quality is available in the range of Rs150-200 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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