PESHAWAR: Prices of essential food items including live chicken/meat, cooking oil/ghee, flour, pulses, vegetables and others have increased manifold in the retail market, according to a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday.
The mini-budget’s effects have begun to emerge prices have been steadily rising in the wholesale and retail markets, and completely out of the purchasing power of the common man, the sources said.
The all-time high prices of essential kitchen items raised by 70-80 percent has created great unrest among every household, says Sajid Khan, a buyer told this scribe. He said it is quite difficult to manage the rising daily expenses amid shirking financial resources and constraints.
The market sources said after imposing taxes through mini-budget, a tin of ghee has been increased Rs100-150 in the wholesale market while edible oil and ghee also become dearer in utility stores as prices touched a new peak there.
Long queues being witnessed outside utility stores for buying flour and ghee/cooking on subsidized rates in Kohat, Ring road, Gulberg, Nothia, Charsadda Bus Stand, Shinwari Saray, Gulbahar and other localities in the city.
According to the survey, the price of local ghee has increased by Rs15 per kilogramme, reaching it at Rs335 per kg, other noted brands were available from Rs365 per kg to Rs380 and Rs410 per kg.
A five kilogramme ghee package has been increased at Rs1950 from Rs1860 in the local market, the survey noted. Similarly, it was noted that cooking oil increases from Rs400 litre to Rs420 per litre.
The survey witnessed that prices of live chicken/meat has increased at Rs196 per kg from Rs191 in the previous week. However, it added, the price of farm eggs decreased at Rs180 from Rs200 per dozen. Butchers are continuously squeezing poverty-stricken people by charging exorbitant rates as cow meat is being sold at Rs550-600 per kilogramme against the official fixed rate of Rs350 per kilogramme, the survey said. It also noted mutton beef is being sold at Rs1300-1400 per kilogramme.
A visible increase in the rate of black tea was witnessed as available at Rs1020 per kilogramme against the price of Rs900 per kilogramme, the survey noted. The survey noticed price of an 80 kg sac of flour has been increased from Rs200-300 as available at Rs6200-6300, forcing the bread makers [Tandoor owners] to increase price at Rs20 from Rs15.
Amid rising chill weather, the prices of dry-fruits have increased manifold in the local market while manifold prices of fresh fruits also completely reached the purchasing power of common man.
Fresh milk is being sold at Rs150-160 per litre while yogurt was being available at Rs120-140 per kilogramme, the survey noted. A mixed trend in prices of vegetables witnessed in the local market, the survey noted. One-kilogramme tomatoes are being sold at Rs40-50 per kilogramme against the price of Rs70 per kilogramme in the previous week, while onion was available at Rs50-60 per kilogramme.
Similarly, the price of ginger has decreased at Rs350 per kilogramme from Rs400 per kilogramme, whereas garlic at Rs200-250 per kg. Cucumber was available at Rs40-50 per kg, green chilli at Rs160 per kg while one-kilogramme lemon was available at Rs120 per kg.
Peas are being available at Rs100-120 per kilogramme, arvi at Rs100 per kilogramme, cauliflower at Rs80 per kg, red-potatoes at Rs60-70 per kilogramme, cabbage at Rs80 per kilogramme, bringle at Rs50 per kilogramme.
Long, apple and round gourds were available within range of Rs80-90 per kilogramme, while ladyfinger was available at Rs100-150 per kilogramme, one-kilogramme karela (bitter gourd) was being sold at Rs150, spinach at Rs30 per bundle, lemon at Rs120 per kilogramme.
Mixed trend in prices of pulses/food grains witnessed in the retail market. Good quality rice (sela) was available at Rs160 per kilogramme, while tota rice was available at Rs100 per kilogramme against Rs80/- while good quality tota rice being sold at Rs120. Gram flour (baisen) is being sold within the range of Rs80-100 per kilogramme in the retail market.
Dal mash is being sold at Rs280-300 per kg, big-size white chana was Rs160 per kg, dal chilka (green) at Rs140 per kg, dal chilka (black) at Rs160 per kg. Moong was available at Rs200 per kg. Dhoti dal is being sold at Rs240 per kg.
Iranian apples are being sold at 200 per kg while locally produced apples available at Rs120-150 per kg, bananas available at Rs50-60 and Rs70 per dozen, guava was available at Rs120-150 per kg, pomegranate at Rs200 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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