PESHAWAR: A survey carried out on Sunday revealed an upward trend in prices of essential food commodities — including live chicken/ meat, flour, cooking oil/ ghee and vegetables — in the local market.
Many buyers complained that shopkeepers were overcharging consumers owing to the absence of an effective price-check mechanism. Ajmal Khan, who was visiting the wholesale market on Ashraf Road to buy flour, wondered if any of the authorities were actually trying to control the prices.
The survey revealed that the price of live-chicken/ meat had increased to Rs465 per kilogram from Rs455/kg, while those of farm eggs, Chinese eggs and hen (non-farm) eggs were almost unchanged as compared to the previous week.
The boneless cow meat was being sold at Rs800/ kilogram but with bone at Rs700/ kg, against the official fixed price of Rs380/ kilo.
The survey revealed a slight increase in the prices of pulses as compared to the previous week.
The price of good quality (sela) rice had increased to Rs330 per kilogram from Rs320/ kg last week, while low–quality rice was available at Rs290-300 a kg against a price of 260-280 per kilogram last week. Tota (broken) rice was available at Rs150/ kg aginst Rs160 in the previous week.
The survey revealed that the price of daal maash was Rs420/ kilogram against Rs400 in the previous week, that of daal masoor was Rs320 against Rs280, daal chilka (black) Rs280 against Rs260, daal chilka (green) Rs220 against Rs240, moong Rs230 against Rs240, dhoti daal Rs240 against Rs280, daal channa Rs280, white lobiya Rs220 against Rs240, gram flour (besan) Rs260 against Rs280, red beans Rs300, big-size white channa Rs350 against Rs380, and the price of small-size white channa was Rs250/ kg against Rs280 per kilogram in the previous week.
The prices of flour had surged in the local market, the survey showed. A flour sack of 80kg was being sold at Rs13,500, while an increase of Rs100 was noticed in the price of a 20kg bag of fine flour, its price rising to Rs2,400-2,500 against Rs2,300 last week. Red-colored flour was being sold at Rs2,000-2,100 per 20kg bag. Flour was being sold at Rs150 per kilogram in the retail market.
The survey showed that bakery owners and sellers of sweet meats had also increased rates of various items owing to, what they called, rising prices of maida (fine flour).
A further increase of Rs10-20 per kilo/ litre was witnessed in the prices of different brands and varieties of edible oil and ghee.
The price of black tea had increased to Rs1,600/ kilogram against the price of Rs1,400 in the previous week. The prices of green tea, Kenyan tea and others had also increased.
According to the survey, the prices of vegetables have increased considerably as compared to last week, as onion was being sold at Rs250/ kg, ginger at Rs420 and garlic at Rs400/ kilogram in the retail market. However, the price of tomato was reasonable as it was available at Rs50-60 per kg.
Cucumber was being sold at Rs40 per kilo, green chili at Rs150-180 per kg whereas one kilogram of lemon was priced at Rs120-150. A bundle of radish was available at Rs100-120.
Peas were selling at Rs80-100 per kg, capsicum at Rs150, tinda at Rs80, arvi at Rs150, cabbage at Rs80, cauliflower at Rs60, bitter gourd at Rs120, long gourd at Rs80, brinjal at Rs60, turnip at Rs80-100, red-colored potatoes at Rs50-60, and white-coloured potatoes were being sold at Rs40 per kg.
The prices of dry milk and packed milk had also sharply increased, as a hike of Rs50-100 per ml was noticed in the prices of their different brands. Also, a noticeable increase in the price of diapers was witnessed in the open market.
The survey showed that the prices of fresh milk had remained unchanged as it was still available at Rs200/ litre. Yogurt was being sold at Rs180/ kilogram in the local market.
Red apple imported from Afghanistan was being sold at Rs250-300 per kg, golden-coloured apple at Rs200, pomegranate at Rs200-250, guava at Rs150 a kg, orange at Rs150-200 per dozen, fruiter at Rs100-120, kinnow at Rs150-200, and banana at Rs90-100 per dozen.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
Comments
Comments are closed.