ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items have witnessed an increase during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The chicken prices went up from Rs15,200 to Rs16,400 per 40kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs450 per kg against Rs430 per kg and chicken meat is available at Rs750 per kg against Rs700, egg price went up from Rs7,500 to Rs8,000 per carton of 30 dozens which in retail is being sold at Rs275-280 against Rs260-270 per dozen. Mutton and beef prices remained stable as normal quality mutton is available at Rs2,100 per kg, normal quality boneless beef at Rs1,250 per kg, and normal beef at Rs1,050.
Pulses prices witnessed an increasing trend as in retail market the best quality maash is available at Re600 against Rs540 per kg, gram pulse at Rs350 against Rs330 per kg, whole gram pulse at Rs350 against Rs330 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs550-600 against Rs360-560 per kg, moong at Rs300 per kg, and masoor price at Rs300 per kg.
Following an increase in the prices of edible items during past few weeks, the restaurant and hotel owners have also increased the prices of cooked food items in the range of 10 to 20 percent.
The price of a cooked daal/vegetables plate at a normal hotel is being charged at Rs270 against Rs250 and naan/roti at Rs25/30 against Rs20/25.
The survey noted no changes in wheat flour price as the best quality flour is available at Rs1,380 per 15kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs1,430 per kg and normal quality wheat flour price is stable Ra1,360per 15kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs1,400. Sugar price also remained stable in the wholesale market as the commodity is available at Rs7,100 per 50kg bag, while in retail, sugar is being sold at Rs150 per kg.
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 Rs600 to Rs900 per kg and red chilli powder price is stable at Rs600 per kg.
The LPG official price remained stable at Rs236 per kg while in the real market, LPG is being sold at Rs300 per kg, which is Rs64 per kg higher than the OGRA’s set price of Rs236 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.
Rice prices witnessed no changes as the best quality basmati rice in wholesale market is available at Rs11,500 against Rs11,800 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs320 against Rs330, normal quality Basmati at Rs9,200 against Rs9,500 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs270 per kg, and broken Basmati at Rs8,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs220 per kg.
Ghee/cooking oil prices remained stable as B-grade ghee/oil is available vat Rs5,500 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.
Packed milk prices such as Milk Pak and Olpers are available at Rs95 per 260ml pack, Rs370 per litre pack. The suppliers of fresh milk in some parts of the twin cities have increased milk price from Rs220 per kg to Rs250 per kg and yoghurt price from Rs250 per kg to Rs280 per kg. A month ago the suppliers of powder milk such as Nido and Lactogen prices also have increased the product prices as 400 gram powder milk price went up from Rs1,150 to Rs1,320 and 200 gram pack from Rs600 to Rs700 per pack.
The survey observed a reduction in bathing soap and detergent prices as family size Safeguard and Detol like soap price has went down from Rs170 to Re150 per pack, family size Lux from Rs150 to Rs130, and Ariel Surf and other detergents suppliers have reduced the price from Rs650 to Rs600 per kg pack.
The prices of various brands of cold drinks such as Pepsi, Coke, Miranda and others remained stable as family-size bottle is available at Rs230.
Overall, vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend. Ginger price went down from Rs2,800 to Rs2,700 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs650-670 per kg against Rs600-650 per kg, local garlic price went down from Rs1,700 Rs1,500 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs350-400 against Rs400-425 per kg and Quetta garlic price went up from Rs1,800 to Rs2,000 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs470-500 against Rs425-450 per kg.
Potato prices went up from Rs250-350 to Rs330-350 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold between Rs80-100 against Rs65-90 per kg, tomato prices in the wholesales market went down from Rs400-450 per 5kg to Rs350-400 per 5kg, while the retailers have not passed on the benefit to the end consumers as in retail tomatoes are being sold in the range of Rs90-130 per kg, and onion price went up from Rs300-450 330-500 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-140 against Rs75-110.
Capsicum price went up from Rs600 to Rs800 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs220-250 against Rs145-160, various varieties of pumpkin are available in the range of Rs400-800 against Rs400-600 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs110-260 per kg against Rs80-150 per kg; various types of tindas are available in the range of Rs350-400 against Rs400-500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-150 against Rs120-175 per kg; eggplant price went up from Rs600 to Rs650 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs160-190 against Rs145-175 per kg; cauliflower price went down from Rs500 to Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs110-120 against Rs120-130, and cabbage price went up from Rs550 to Rs600 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs145-160 against Rs120-140. Bitter gourd price went up from Rs250 to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs90-120 against Rs65-75 per kg, green chilli are available in the range of Re60-90 against Rs110-130 per kg, carrot price is stable at Rs300 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs90-90 and cucumber price went down from Rs350 to Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Ra80-90 against Rs90-95 per kg.
Yam price is stable at Rs550 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs130-140 per kg; turnip price went up from Rs350 to Rs450 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs110-120 against Rs70-90, peas price went up from Rs1,300 to Rs1,500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs340-360 against Rs290-320 per kg, okra price is stable at Rs500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-130 per kg and fresh bean price went up from Rs700 per 5kg to Rs900 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs220-250 per kg against Rs160-190 per kg.
Fruit prices also witnessed a mixed trend as Iranian Kala Killo apple are available at Rs280-330 against Rs270-300, Gaja apples are available in the range of Rs160-180 per kg against Rs130-150 per kg and white apple at Rs130-150 against Rs150-175 per kg. Bananas are available in the range of Rs60-160 against Rs70-150 per dozen; various varieties of melons are available in the range of Rs70-90 against Rs80-120 per kg, various varieties of pears are available in the range of Rs90-110 per kg against Rs100-130 per kg. Various varieties of peaches are being sold in the range of Rs100-300 per kg against Rs130-225 per kg. Apricot is being sold at Rs200-250 per kg against R170-225 per kg, plumps at Rs350 and mangoes in the range of Rs70-225 per kg against Rs70-250 per kg.
This correspondent has observed that majority of the retailers are selling fruits, vegetables and other items on much higher prices, arguing that some volume of products they purchase from wholesale market always remain rotten. They said that from wholesale market they purchase a tomatoes basket weighing 13kg at Rs1000 and out of 13kg only 10kg tomatoes are in good condition while rest are rotten, so under such a situation they (vendors) are unable to sell product at official prices but have to recover their cost with a rational profit margin.
People blamed that due to ineffective monitoring by commissioners, DCs, 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.
However, Business Recorder also observed a serious difference between the official prices of various items and market prices, 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.
Traders 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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