ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items especially vegetables, eggs, and fruits have witnessed an increase during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey observed sugar price slightly went down from Rs7,000 per 50kg bag to Rs6,950 in the wholesale market, while in retail, sugar is being sold at Rs150 per kg. Chicken price went up from Rs15,200 per 40kg to Rs15,400 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs415 per kg against Rs410 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs700 per kg; egg price went up from Rs7,300 per carton to Rs7,500 per carton which in retail are being sold at Rs270 per dozen against Rs260 per dozen. Prices of Ramazan-specific items such as basin is being sold at Rs275 per kg, traditional drink Jam-e-Shireen at Rs450 per bottle, good quality dates at Rs500 per kg and normal in the range of Rs200-300 per kg.
Wheat flour price remained unchanged as the best quality wheat flour in the wholesale market is available at Rs2,110 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,150 per 15kg bag, normal quality wheat flour bag is available at Rs2,090 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,120 per bag. Mutton and beef prices have witnessed an increase as mutton is available at Rs2,000 per kg against Rs1,900 per kg, boneless beef at Rs1,200 per kg against Rs1,100 per kg, and normal beef at Rs1,000 per kg against Rs900 per kg.
Tea prices witnessed no changes as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,200 per 900 gram pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs1,800 per kg; powdered chili prices went down from Rs800 per kg to Rs700 per kg, and turmeric powder price is stable at Rs800 per kg. Paratha is available at Rs60, roti at Rs25, naan at Rs30 a piece, and a cup of tea at Rs80.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices witnessed no changes as the commodity is being sold at Rs310 per kg, which still is Rs54 per kg higher than the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (OGRA) set price of Rs256 per kg. The OGRA has set 15kg domestic cylinder LPG price at Rs3,840, while in various parts of the country it is available at Rs5,000-5,500 per 15kg cylinder, reflecting an overcharging of Rs1,175-1,675 per cylinder.
Branded spices such as National, Shan, and others’ prices have already gone up as standard size spice pack price has increased by Rs10 per pack from Rs120 per pack to Rs130 per pack of 39 grams.
The price of a cooked daal plate at a normal hotel is Rs250 and a cooked vegetable plate is Rs250.
Rice prices witnessed no changes as the best quality basmati rice is available at Rs12,500 per 40kg bag, while the retailers are selling it at Rs350 per kg, normal quality Basmati rice is available at Rs10,300 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs270 per kg, and broken Basmati rice is available at Rs9,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs250 per kg.
Ghee-cooking oil prices witnessed an increase as B-grade ghee-cooking oil price jump up by Rs350 per carton to Rs5, 850 from Rs5,500 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs370-380 against Rs340-360 per 900 gram pack, while best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda ghee are available at Rs2,450 per 5kg tin against Rs2,380 and cooking oil at Rs2,550 per 5-litre bottle.
Pulses’ prices witnessed no changes as best quality maash is available at Rs530 per kg, gram pulse at Rs220 per kg, whole gram pulse at Rs350 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs360-560 per kg, moong at Rs280 per kg, and masoor at Rs300 per kg.
No changes in packed milk prices as small pack of Milk Pak is available at Rs75 per pack and litre pack at Rs270. Suppliers of fresh milk have increased the milk price from Rs200 per kg to Rs220 per kg and yoghurt price from Rs240 per kg to Rs250 per kg.
Detergents and bathing soaps prices have started going up as Safeguard price went up from Rs170 to Rs180; Ariel Surf price went up by Rs20 per kg from Rs650 to Rs670 per kg pack.
Overall, vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend. Ginger price in the wholesale market went up from Rs2,500 to Rs2,700 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs580-600 per kg against Rs530-580 per kg, local garlic price went down from Rs2,600 to Rs2,100 in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450-520 per kg against Rs530-570 per kg, and China garlic price went up from Rs3,100 per 5kg to Rs3,200 in the wholesale market, which in retail is available in the range of Rs660-700 per kg against Rs640-670 per kg.
Potato price remained stable at Rs170-300 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold at Rs45-80, tomato prices remained stable at Rs1,500 per basket in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-170 per kg, and onion price is stable at Rs1,000-1350 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs225-330 per kg against.
Capsicum price went up from Rs1,200 per 5kg to Rs1,550 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs340-360 per kg against Rs270-290 per kg, the prices of various varieties of pumpkin went down from Rs600-800 per 5kg to Rs450-650 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-170 per kg against Rs135-200 per kg; tinda price went down from Rs500 to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-120 per kg against Rs125-150 per kg; eggplant price went up from Rs600 to Rs700 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs150-160 per kg against Rs140-150 per kg; cauliflower price is stable at Rs600, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs140-150, and cabbage price remained stable at Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs90-100 per kg. Bitter gourd price is stable at Rs1,250-1,450 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs300-350 per kg, green chili price went up from Rs180 per kg to Rs380 per kg, lemon price went up from Rs500 to Rs650 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs150-200 per kg against Rs130-150 per kg and cucumber price is stable at Rs300 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs75-80 per kg.
Radish price is stable at Rs100-120 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs25-30 per kg; turnip price is stable at Rs170-200 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs50-55 per kg, yam price is stable at Rs1,000 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs225-240 per kg, peas price went down from Rs600 to Rs350 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-100 per kg against Rs140-150 per kg and fresh bean price went up from Rs950 to Rs1,000 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs225-250 per kg against Rs210-230 per kg.
Fruit prices also witnessed an increasing trend as the best quality Iranian Kala Killo apple is available at Rs400 per kg against Rs375 per kg, Pakistani Kala Killo apple are available in the range of Rs300-325 per kg, Golden apples are available in the range of Rs180-250 per kg against Rs160-250 per kg, white apples are available in the range of Rs120-180 per kg against Rs150-210 per kg. Bananas’ prices witnessed an increase as normal quality banana price went up from Rs140 to Rs170 per dozen and good quality from Rs300 to Re320 per dozen, guava prices also witnessed two fold increase as normal quality guava price went up from Rs130-240 per kg and Rs160-270 per kg, Gaja apples are available in the range of Rs150-200 per kg against Rs150-250 per kg; various varieties of oranges are available in the range of Rs75-350 per dozen with special kinnow at Rs350 per dozen is the most expensive and normal quality fruiter at Rs75 per dozen, the cheapest; pomegranate are available in the range of Rs350-500 per kg against Rs250-370 per kg; and grapes are available in the range of Rs400-450 per kg against Rs160-350 per kg. New arrival strawberries are being sold in the range of Rs400-550 per kg, and mellon at Rs80-200 per kg.
Over the past two weeks, Business Recorder has noted that the special price controlling magistrates who during last six years were not even occasionally monitoring the markets, have now started visiting the major market places as a result overcharging by different vendors is also declining.
Various people talking to this correspondent said that due to ineffective monitoring by commissioners, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Assistant Commissioners (ACs), the special price control magistrates and other relevant departments in past six years, the consumers were on the mercy of the vendors as they were free to charge their own prices of not only vegetables and fruits but of other items too.
However, Business Recorder also observed that there is still a serious difference between the official prices of various items and market prices. It also observed retailers, vendors, and other sellers are not displaying official price list of household items at a prominent place and are not even providing on demand.
According to traders, over the past few years continuous increase in fuel and utilities’ costs significantly contributed to increasing the prices. They attributed around 20 percent increase in the prices of all the items 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, 2024
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