ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items witnessed a mixed trend during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey observed a mixed trend in the prices of vegetables, no changes in the prices of wheat flour, best quality ghee-cooking oil, pulses, cooked food items, fresh milk, yoghurt, spices, tea, and sugar, but a declining trend in chicken, eggs, B-grade cooking oil and fruit prices.
The survey observed a reduction in chicken price as it went down from Rs9,000 to Rs8,800 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which in retail, is being sold at Rs295 per kg against Rs300 per kg, while chicken meat price is stable at Rs460 per kg.
Eggs prices went down from Rs7,200 per carton to Rs6,800 per carton of 30 dozens, while in retail, eggs are being sold at Rs245 per dozen against Rs250 per dozen.
Wheat flour prices remained stable as the best quality wheat flour price in the wholesale market is available at Rs1,570 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,600 and the normal quality wheat flour bag is available at Rs1,540 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,570 per bag.
BR surveys have regularly observed and reported that retailers are charging their own prices in all the parts of the cities owing to dysfunctional price monitoring committees. Moreover, special price control magistrates have also left the people at the mercy of profiteers.
Various people talking to Business Recorder have requested the government of Punjab to fully restore supply of subsidised wheat flour at selected retailers as within the past three months poor people especially labour class is unable to get low cost commodity because Punjab government has stopped supply. They further said that subsidised wheat flour is either not available on most of the Utility Stores outlets or the outlets are situated at long distances.
Traders told this correspondent that the government of Punjab as yet has not started supplying them the subsidised wheat flour, adding that before Pervez Elahi government, Punjab government was providing subsidised wheat flour bags to retailers, but for the past two month, the new administration has halted the supply as a result poor people are facing serious hardships.
Sugar price remained unchanged at Rs4,200 which in retail is being sold at Rs90-95 per kg, while some retailers are selling at Rs100 per kg.
Rice prices also remained unchanged as the best quality Basmati rice is available at Rs11,200 per 50kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs290 per kg, normal quality Basmati rice at Rs9,000 per 50kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs245 per kg, and Broken Basmati rice price is stable at Rs5,500 per 50kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per kg.
Ghee and cooking oil prices witnessed a mixed trend as B-Grade ghee/cooking oil prices witnessed a reduction going down from Rs5,250 per carton to Rs5,100 per carton of 16 packs, which in retail is being sold at Rs360 per kg against Rs380 per pack. While best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda, Sufi, and others prices witnessed no changes and are available at Rs2,550 per 5kg pack against Rs2,700 per 5kg tin.
Overall pulses’ prices also witnessed a stable trend during the week under review as best quality whole gram is available at Rs320 per kg, fine quality maash at Rs380 per kg, the best quality lentil at Rs300 per kg, best quality bean lentil at Rs300 per kg, moong at Rs250 per kg, and masoor at Rs280 per kg.
No changes were witnessed in tea prices as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs1,300 per kg pack. Fresh milk and yoghurt prices remained stable during the week as fresh milk is available at Rs180 per kg, yoghurt at Rs190 per kg, while packed milk prices remained unchanged as Nestle Milk small pack is available at Rs60, per litre pack at Rs200, and per kg pack and family pack at Rs250.
Powder chilli prices remained stable at Rs600 and powder turmeric at Rs450 per kg.
Potatoes price went up from Rs35-75 per kg to Rs50-85 per kg, tomatoes price went up from Rs100-140 to Rs150-230 per kg, while onions are available at Rs80-140 per kg.
Cabbage price went down from Rs80-95 per kg to Rs60-75 per kg, cauliflower went down from 160 per kg to Rs140 per kg, garlic is available in the range of Rs180-280 per kg against Rs200 to Rs300 per kg, ginger at Rs280 per kg against Rs300 per kg, fresh bean at Rs120 against Rs130 per kg, pumpkin at Rs90 against Rs120 per kg, okra at Rs100 per kg against Rs110per kg, and bitter gourd at Rs120 per kg against Rs140 per kg.
Vegetables and fruit traders told this correspondent that vegetables and fruit supplies from parts of Khyber-Pakhthunkhwa, Sindh, and Balochistan are still not fully restored, once the supply from the flood-hit areas is fully restored the prices will come down further.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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