Prices of essential kitchen items continue to show increasing trend

ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items especially vegetables and fruits have continued witnessing an increasing trend during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.

The survey observed that during this week past the increase in fuel prices on September 16 has fully reflected in the hiking up of the prices of essential kitchen items owing to escalation in transportation costs.

The survey observed a reduction in sugar price which went down from Rs7,800 per 50kg bag in the wholesale to Rs7,500 per bag in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per kg. Since September 7th, the sugar price has witnessed a reduction of Rs1,500 per bag as it went down from Rs9,000 per bag to Rs7,500 per bag.

However, within the past four months, sugar price has witnessed an increase of Rs4,000 per bag as it went up from Rs5,000 per 50kg bag to Rs9,000 since June 2023, which shows sugar industry is still profiteering at Rs2,500 per 50kg bag in the wholesale market, while in retail its price has witnessed an increase of Rs56 per kg.

Chicken price is stable at Rs14,500 in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs385 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs680 per kg, egg price went up from Rs8,000 to Rs8,400 per carton, while in retail, eggs are being sold at Rs310 per dozen against Rs300 per dozen.

Wheat flour price remained unchanged as best quality wheat flour is available at Rs2,120 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,150 per bag, normal quality wheat flour bag is available at Rs2,080 in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,120 per bag.

Tea prices remained stable as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,050 per 900 gram pack and Islamabad tea is available at Rs1,600; powdered chilli price went up from Rs600 per kg to Rs750 per kg, and turmeric powder price up from Rs500 per kg to Rs750 per kg.

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price witnessed no change as officially, it is available at Rs240.1 per kg, however, LPG traders are selling the commodity at their own set price in violation of the OGRA’s set price of Rs240.1 per kg as the distributors and retailers are selling the commodity in the range of Rs290-320 per kg. The OGRA has set 15kg domestic cylinder LPG price at Rs3,600 while in market it is available at Rs4,500 per 15kg cylinder, reflecting an overcharging of Rs900 per cylinder.

Branded spices such as National, Shan, and others’ prices are stable at Rs100 per pack. Prepared tea cup at a normal tea stall is available at Rs70 per cup the price of a cooked daal plate at a normal hotel is Rs250, cooked vegetable plate at Rs250, while roti price remained stable at Rs20 per roti, and naan at Rs30.

Rice prices witnessed no changes as best quality basmati rice is available at Rs13,200, while the retailers are selling at Rs350 per kg, normal quality Basmati rice at Rs10,500 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per kg, and broken Basmati rice price is stable at Rs9,500, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per kg.

Ghee-cooking oil prices witnessed a mixed trend as B-grade ghee-cooking oil prices went down from Rs5,500 to Rs5,400 per carton in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs365-380. While best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda ghee is available at Rs2,790 and cooking oil at Rs2,850 per 5-litre bottle.

However, it is observed that retailers in different parts of the cities are free to charge their own as there is no check by the price monitoring committees.

Pulses prices remained stable as best quality maash is available at Rs570 per kg, gram pulse is being sold at Rs320 per kg, whole gram pulse is being sold at Rs380 per kg, prices of various varieties of bean lentils witnessed an increase as it went up from Rs300-350 per kg to Rs350-400 per kg, moong price remained stable at Rs320 per kg, and masoor at Rs320 per kg.

Packed milk prices remained unchanged as small Milk Pak and other brands are being sold at Rs70 per pack, while one litre pack is available at Rs260 per pack. Fresh milk prices are stable at Rs200 per kg and yoghurt at Rs220 per kg.

Detergents’ prices and bathing soaps prices witnessed no changes as Safeguard, Lux, and Dettol’s normal size bathing soap are available at Rs145 per pack and family pack at Rs170 per pack.

Overall, vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend. Ginger price in the wholesale market went up from Rs5,200 to Rs5,500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs1,200-1,250 per kg against Rs1,150-1,200 per kg, local garlic price went up from Rs1,500 to Rs1,800 in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs400-450 per kg against Rs380-400 per kg, and Quetta garlic price is stable at Rs2,300 in the wholesale market, which in retail is available in the range of Rs550-650.

Potato price remained stable as it is available at Rs300-400 per 5kg in wholesale, which in retail are being sold at Rs70-95 per kg, tomato prices went down from Rs1,200 per basket of 13kg to Rs1,000 in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs65-100 per kg against Rs75-110 and onions price went up from Rs250-350 per 5kg to Rs300-400, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-100 against Rs65-85 per kg.

Capsicum price went up from Rs600-650 to Rs750-850 per 5kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs165-190 per kg against Rs135-150, the prices of various varieties of pumpkin went up from Rs300-400 per 5kg to Rs550-650 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-170 per kg against Rs70-95 per kg, brinjal price is stable at Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs75-85 per kg, cauliflower price went down from Rs550-600 per 5kg to Rs500-550 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs130-150 per kg, and cabbage price went down from Rs480 per 5kg to Rs400 which in retail is being sold at Rs95-110 per kg against Rs110-120 per kg. Bitter gourd price is stable at Rs400-450per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-130 per kg, fresh bean price is stable at Rs470-500 in wholesale market which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs115-120 per kg and cucumber price went down from Rs470 per 5kg to Rs400 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs95-110 per kg against Rs110-120 per kg, tinda price went up from Rs500 per 5kg to Rs550 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-145 per kg against Rs120-130.

Best quality bananas price went up from Rs160 to Rs150 per dozen and normal quality bananas are available in the range of Rs75-135 per dozen against Rs80-130 a dozen, best quality guava is available at Rs130 per kg and normal in the range of Rs80-100 per kg, Gaja apples are available in the range of Rs90-230 against Rs75-180 per kg.

Different varieties of mangoes are available in the range of Rs110-375 per kg against Rs80-255, dosheri mango at Rs110 per kg is the cheapest and nawabi chunsa at Rs375 per kg is the most expensive, and peach is available at Rs100-400 per kg against Rs90-250 per kg, various varieties of grapes are available in the range of Rs200 per kg to Rs400 per kg.

However, the survey observed that due to ineffective monitoring by the special price control magistrates and other relevant departments including assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners, the retailers are free to charge their own prices of not only vegetables and fruits but of other items too.

Moreover, there is a serious difference between the official prices of various items and market prices.

It is also observed retailers, vendors, and other sellers are not displaying official price list of household items at an appropriate place and are not even providing on demand.

Traders told this correspondent that the current wave of increase in prices of essential kitchen items can be attributed to the increase in fuel prices and flash floods triggered by monsoon rains which caused serious damage to various vegetable crops.

According to traders, increase in fuel costs and utilities costs are contributing, at least, 20 percent increase in the prices of all the items, saying owing to increase in gas and electricity bills, traders are also forced to move up their margins to meet ever increasing expenditure from salaries to transportation costs and other miscellaneous expenses.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023