ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items have witnessed a decreasing trend during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey observed a reduction in chicken, eggs, pulses, wheat flour, cooking oil/ghee, and vegetables prices. While no changes were observed in cooked food items’ prices, sugar, spices, milk, liquefied petroleum gas, dates, basin, bathing soap, detergents, and other non-perishable items.
Iranian date price is stable at Rs 350 per kg, local dates at Rs 200 per kg, and basin at Rs 200 per kg.
Chicken price went down from Rs 16,500 per 40kg in the wholesale market to Rs 16,000, which in retail is being sold at Rs 420 against Rs 450 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs 650 per kg against Rs700 per kg, egg price went down from Rs 7,900 per carton to Rs 7,500, while in retail, eggs are being sold at Rs 275 per dozen against Rs 280 per dozen.
Sugar price remained stable at Rs 5,500 in wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs 125 per kg against Rs 130 per kg.
Wheat flour price witnessed a reduction as best quality wheat flour is available at Rs 2,070 per 15kg bag against Rs 2,120, which in retail is being sold at Rs 2,100 per bag against Rs 2,150 per 15kg bag, normal quality wheat flour bag is being sold at Rs 2,050 per 15kg bag against Rs 2,100 in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs 2,050.
Tea prices witnessed no changes as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,050 per kg pack and Islamabad tea at Rs1,650, powder chilli price remained stable at Rs750 per kg, and turmeric powder price at Rs600.
The retailers and dealers of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have yet not implemented the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA)’s decion regarding reduction in LPG prices as the dealer and retailers are selling the commodity at Rs300 per kg against the OGRA’s set price of Rs215 per kg.
No changes were observed in spices prices as normal size spice pack is available at Rs100 per pack, prepared tea cup price at a normal tea stall is available at Rs70 per cup, the price of a cooked daal plate at a normal hotel is available at Rs250, cooked vegetable plate at Rs250, and roti price remained stable at Rs20 per roti, however, some tandoor owners have reduced the size of the roti and some are selling at Rs25 per roti despite the fact wheat flour price has witnessed a reduction of Rs600 per 15kg bag since touching the highest level.
Rice prices witnessed no fluctuations as best quality basmati rice price is stable at Rs12,500 per 40kg bag, while the retailers are selling at Rs350 per kg, normal quality Basmati price is stable at Rs10,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per kg, and Broken Basmati rice price is stable at Rs8,000 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per kg.
Ghee-cooking oil prices witnessed a reduction as B-Grade ghee/cooking oil price went down from Rs7,000 to Rs6,500 per carton of 16 packs, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450 per kg to Rs500 per pack of 900 grams.
While best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda prices witnessed a reduction as best quality ghee is available at Rs2,700 per 5kg tin against Rs2,950 per 5kg pack and cooking oil price went down from Rs3,050 per 5-litre pack to Rs 2,800 per 5-litre pack.
Pulses prices also remained stable as best quality maash is available at Rs488, gram pulse is being sold at Rs300 per kg, whole gram pulse is being sold at Rs440 per kg, bean lentil at Rs400 per kg, moong at Rs320 per kg, and masoor at Rs320 per kg.
Packed milk prices remained unchanged as small Milk Pak and other brands are available at Rs70 per pack, while one litre pack is available at Rs240. Fresh milk price remained stable at Rs190 per kg and yoghurt prices at Rs200 per kg. Detergents prices witnessed no changes.
Overall, vegetables prices witnessed a decreasing trend as ginger in wholesale market is available at from Rs 3,300 against Rs 3,500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 750 per kg against Rs 800 per kg, local garlic price is stable at Rs 750 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs 180 per kg, and China garlic price went up from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500 in the wholesale market, which in retail is available at Rs 350 per kg against Rs 300 per kg.
Potatoes price remained stable in the range of Rs 200-350 per 5kg in wholesale, which in retail are being sold at Rs 55-90 per kg, tomato prices went down from Rs 200-160 per 5kg to Rs 130-170 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs 40-50 per kg against Rs 50-55 per kg and onions prices went down from Rs 330-440 per 5kg to Rs 130-200 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs 35-50 per kg against Rs 75-100 per kg.
Capsicum price went up Rs 60-70 per kg to Rs 75-90 per kg, pumpkin price went down from Rs 60-90 per kg to Rs 50-80 per kg, yam price went up from Rs 170 per kg to Rs 250 per kg, cauliflower price in wholesale market went up from Rs 350 per 5kg to Rs 500, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs 110-140 per kg against Rs 75-90 per kg, and cabbage price is stable at Rs 125 which in retail is being sold at Rs 35-45 per kg.
Bitter gourd price went down from Rs 100-130 per kg to Rs 70-90 per kg, fresh bean price is stable at Rs 500-600 in wholesale market which in retail are being sold at Rs120-150 and peas price went up from Rs 650 per 5kg to Rs 1,050 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs 230-250 per kg against Rs 150-160 per kg.
Best quality bananas price remained stable at Rs 300 per dozen and normal quality bananas price went down from Rs 170-200 per dozen to Rs 80-150 per dozen, guava price went down from Rs 200 per kg to Rs 130 per kg, Iranian kala killo apple is available in the range of Rs 250-430 against Rs 300-400, white apples are available in the range of Rs 130-160 against Rs 140-240 per kg, and grapes are available at Rs 350 per kg.
Different types of mangoes are available in the range of Rs 75-200 per kg against Rs 100-250 per dozen, falsa is available at Rs 300 per kg, cherry at Rs 425 per pack of 800 grams and peach at Rs 90-250 per kg.
However, the survey observed that due to ineffective monitoring by the special price control magistrates and other relevant departments, the retailers are free to charge their own prices of vegetables and fruits.
Moreover, there is a serious difference between the official prices of various items and market prices just for instance, the official price of best quality potatoes is Rs 50 per kg, while in the market, it is being sold at Rs 85 per kg. Same is the situation with the prices of other items.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
Comments
Comments are closed.