Fuel price hike causes increase in prices of essential kitchen items

ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items have increased during this week past against previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder here on Saturday.

The survey noted that following an increase in petrol and diesel prices the transporters have across the board increased transport fares as public service vans plying inside the cities increased stop-to-stop fares by Rs2 per passenger, intercity buses hiked fares in the range of Rs25-200 per passenger depending on the distance and the service. Taxis, rickshaws, loaders and other private transporters have also hiked the fares which have resulted in increasing the prices of everything. Moreover, Pakistan Railways has also hiked freight rates by three percent.

Wheat flour price increased by Rs200 per 15kg bag or Rs13.33 per kg as the best quality wheat flour price went up from Rs1,280 to Rs1,480 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,520 against Rs1,310 per 15kg bag, normal quality wheat flour bag is being sold at Rs1,450 against Rs1,250 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,480 against Rs1,280. Sugar price within the past one week witnessed an increase of Rs400 per 50kg bag as in the wholesale market, sugar is available at Rs7,200 against Rs6,800 per 50kg bag, while in retail, sugar is being sold at Rs150 per kg. Chicken prices went up from Rs10,800 to Rs11,700 per 40kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs325 per kg against Rs310 per kg and chicken meat is available at Rs550 per kg against Rs530, egg price is stable at Rs6,800 per carton of 30 dozens which in retail is being sold at Rs250 per dozen.

Mutton and beef prices also went up as normal quality mutton is available at Rs2,100 per kg against Rs2,000 per kg, normal quality boneless beef price went up from Rs1,200 per kg to Rs1,250 per kg, and normal beef from Rs1,000 per kg to Rs1,050.

Tea prices witnessed no changes as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,200 per 900grams pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs1,800 per kg; turmeric powder price went up from Rs700 to Rs800 per kg and red chilli powder price went up from Rs550 to Rs600 per kg.

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices are stable as the commodity is officially available at Rs234 per kg while in the market, LPG price went up from Rs290 to Rs300 per kg, which is Rs66 per kg higher than the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (OGRA) set price of Rs234 per kg. The prices of branded spices such as Shan, National, and others, witnessed no changes as a pack of 39 grams spice is available at Rs130.

Following an increase in the prices of edible items, the restaurant and hotel owners are also all set to increase the prices of cooked food items in the range of 10 to 20 percent. At present, the price of a cooked daal plate at a normal hotel is Rs250 and a cooked vegetable plate is Rs250 which is likely to go up to Rs270 per plate.

Rice prices witnessed an increase as in the wholesale market the best quality basmati rice price went up from Rs9,000 to Rs11,800 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs330 against Rs280 per kg, normal quality Basmati price went up from Rs8,400 to Rs9,500 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs270 against Rs230 per kg, and broken Basmati price went up from Rs7,300 to Rs8,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs220 against Rs185 per kg.

Ghee/cooking oil prices witnessed an increase as B-grade ghee/oil price went up from Rs5,400 to Rs5,800 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs350-360 per pack, while best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee are available at Rs2,450 per 5kg tin and cooking oil at Rs2,500 per 5-litre bottle.

Pulses prices witnessed an increase as best quality maash is available at Rs540 per kg against Rs525, gram pulse retail price witnessed an increase of Rs90 as it went up from Rs240 to Rs330 per kg, whole gram pulse from Rs300 to Rs330 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs360-560 per kg, moong price went up from Rs280 to Rs300 per kg, and masoor price went up from Rs280 to Rs300 per kg.

Packed milk prices recorded a significant increase as the price of small pack of Milk Pak went up from Rs75 per pack to Rs95, litre pack price from Rs270 to Rs370 per litre pack. The suppliers of fresh milk are also all set to increase milk price from Rs220 per kg to Rs250 per kg and yoghurt price from Rs250 per kg to Rs280 per kg. Powder Milk like Nido and Lactogen prices also increased as 400 gram powder milk price went up from Rs1,150 to Rs1,320 and 200 gram pack from Rs600 to Rs700 per pack.

According to traders, so far detergents’ and bathing soaps’ prices have not increased as Safeguard family size pack is available at Rs170, family size Lux at Rs130, and Ariel Surf and other detergents at Rs600 per kg pack, but in the coming days, prices of these items will also go up.

Cold drink prices also went up as family-size Pepsi, Coke and other prices went up from Rs210 per bottle to Rs230 per bottle. Razor like Gillette Blue 3 price went up from Rs1,700 per 10 packet to Rs2,300 per 10 packet.

Overall, vegetables prices witnessed a mixed trend. Ginger price went up from Rs3,000 to Rs3,300 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs700-750 per kg against Rs650-700 per kg, local garlic price went up from Rs1,000 to Rs1,500 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs330-350 per kg against Rs250-280 and Quetta garlic price is stable at Rs1,600 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs380-400 per kg.

Potato prices are stable at Rs275-375 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold between Rs70-100 per kg, tomato prices went up from Rs400-500 per 5kg to Rs575-800 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-190 per kg against Rs100-125 per kg, and onion price went up from Rs250-400 to Rs275-450 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-110 against Rs70-110 per kg.

Capsicum price went up from Rs200 to Rs450 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs110-115 against Rs50-60, various varieties of pumpkin are available in the range of Rs230-600 against Rs300-350 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs55-160 per kg against Rs75-90 per kg; various types of tinda are available in the range of Rs550-750 against Rs200-500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs65-165 per kg against Rs60-150 per kg; eggplant price went up from Rs1500 to Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs65-70 against Rs45-50 per kg; cauliflower price went down from Rs750 to Rs550 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs130-140 against Rs180-190, and cabbage price went up from Rs300 to Rs375 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs85-90 against Rs70-80. Bitter gourd price is stable at Rs180-225 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs60-70 per kg, green chilli are available in the range of Rs50-75 against Rs180-120 per kg, carrot price went up from Rs370 to Rs400 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs90-100 per kg and cucumber price is stable at Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs60-70 per kg.

Radish price went down from Rs130 to Rs100 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs30-35 per kg against Rs40-45 per kg; turnip price went up from Rs300 to Rs250 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-80 against Rs75-85, peas price went up from Rs900-1,000 to Rs1,600-1,700 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs360-400 against Rs230-250 per kg, okra price went up from Rs180 to Rs550 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-140 per kg against Rs45-50 per kg and fresh bean price went down from Rs1,000 per 5kg to Rs650 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs150-170 per kg against Rs225-250 per kg.

Fruit prices witnessed a mixed trend as Iranian Kala Killo apple price is stable at Rs300-350, white apples are available in the range of Rs110-200 per kg against Rs110-180 per kg. Bananas price went up from stable Rs75-210 to Rs100-250 per dozen; various varieties of melons are available in the range of Rs45-120 against Rs40-100 per kg various varieties of watermelons are available in the range of Rs35-60 per kg against Rs45-90 per kg. Various varieties of peaches are being sold in the range of Rs130-250 per kg against Rs120-300 per kg. Falsa is being sold at Rs400-450 per kg against R320-350 per kg, plumps in the range of Rs160-450 against Rs220-350 per kg, cherry at Rs325-350 per packet and lokaat at Rs100-200 per kg and mangoes in the range of Rs80-225 per kg against Rs70-200 per kg.

People from different segments of society while talking to this correspondent said that despite a significant reduction in the prices of vegetables and fruits, the retailers are not passing on the full benefit to the end consumers. People said that the retailers are always violating the official price list and sell all the items on higher prices.

They blamed that due to ineffective monitoring by commissioners, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Assistant Commissioners (ACs), the special price control magistrates, and other relevant departments, the consumers were at 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. They said one vendor was selling tomatoes at Rs60 per kg while another at Rs70 per kg of same quality while the official price is Rs55 per kg, mutton on some shops was available at Rs2,000 per kg and same quality of mutton was being sold at Rs2,200 per kg at others, wheat flour was available at Rs1,330 per 15kg bag on one shop and another shopkeeper was selling same quality of the commodity at Rs1,350.

They urged the government to strictly enforce official price list daily and weekly and prepare it in consultation with the respective traders’ unions and punish the violators.

However, Business Recorder also observed 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