ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items have witnessed 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 sugar price in wholesale market is stable at Rs6,300 per 50kg bag, while in retail it is being sold at Rs140 per kg. Chicken prices remained stable at Rs17,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which is being sold at Rs475 per kg and chicken meat is available at Rs750.
Eggs price went up from Rs8,100 to Rs8,300 per carton of 30 dozens which in retail is being sold at Rs300 against Rs295 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.
Tea prices witnessed no changes as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,200 per 900 grams pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs1,800 per kg; turmeric powder price is stable at Rs800 per kg and red chilli powder at Rs650 per kg.
Wheat flour prices are stable as the best quality flour is available at Rs1,400 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs1,450 per bag and normal quality wheat flour price is stable at Rs1,370 per 15kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs1,400 per 15kg bag.
Pulses prices remained stable as in retail market the best quality maash is available at Rs580, gram pulse at Rs350, whole gram pulse at Rs350, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs500-570 per kg, moong at Rs280 per kg, and masoor price at Rs275 per kg.
No changes were noted in goods transportation fares, despite four time reduction in petroleum products’ prices over the past two months. The prices of cooked food items also remained stable as a cooked daal/vegetable plate at a normal hotel is available at Rs310, cooked beef plate at Rs550, cooked chicken plate at Rs450 and naan/roti is being sold at Rs25/30.
The official price of LPG remained stable at Rs251 per kg while in the market LPG is being sold at Rs310 per kg, which is Rs59 per kg higher than the OGRA’s set price of Rs251 per kg for October.
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. Prices of the various varieties of rice remained stable as the best quality basmati rice in wholesale market is available at Rs11,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300, normal quality Basmati at Rs9,000, which in retail is being sold at Rs270 per kg, and broken Basmati at Rs7,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs200.
Ghee/cooking oil prices remained stable as B-grade ghee/oil is available at Rs6,300 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs400-410, while best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee are available at Rs2,400 per 5kg tin and cooking oil at Rs2,450 per 5-litre bottle. Prices of packed milk brands such as Milk Pak and Olpers remained steady at Rs90 per 250ml pack and Rs350 per litre. Fresh milk prices also remained stable at Rs230 per kg and yoghurt at Rs250 per kg. No changes were observed in the prices of powder milk such as Nido and Lactogen as 400gram Nido powder milk is available at Rs1,320 and 200gram pack at Rs700 per pack.
The survey observed no changes in bathing soap prices as family-size Safeguard and Dettol like soaps are available at Rs150 per pack, family size Lux at Rs130, and Ariel Surf at Rs600 per kg pack and Express Power at Rs580 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.
Prices of most of the vegetables have witnessed an increasing trend. Ginger price went down from Rs4,000 to Rs3,400 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs750-800 against Rs900-950, local garlic price is stable at Rs1,500 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs400-425 per kg and Quetta garlic price is stable at Rs2,250 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs550-600 per kg.
Potato prices went up from Rs250-375 to Rs350-450 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-140 against Rs65-130 per kg; tomato price in wholesale market went up from Rs275-350 to Rs275-400 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs80-120 against Rs70-100 per kg, and onion price went up from Rs350-500 to Rs550-750 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-180 against Rs100-150.
Capsicum price went down from Rs750 to Rs600 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs150-180 against Rs180-210, various varieties of pumpkin prices remained stable in the range of Rs400-450 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs110-160; various types of tinda prices also remained stable at Rs400-650 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-200; eggplant price went up from Rs300 to Rs350 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs90-110 against Rs80-100 per kg; cauliflower price went up from Rs300 to Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs120-130 against Rs90-100 per kg and cabbage price went up from Rs250 to Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs80-100 against Rs75-90 per kg. Bitter gourd price went up from Rs400 to Rs500 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs130-150 against Rs110-130, green chilli price went down from Rs700 to Rs550 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs150-180 against Rs200-225 per kg, China carrot price went up from Rs350 to Rs450 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs120-130 against Rs90-110 per kg and cucumber price went up from Rs500 to Rs700 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs160-180 against Rs130-150 per kg.
Yam price went down from Rs700 to Rs600 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs150-170 against Rs160-180 per kg; turnip price went up from Rs400-450 to Rs450-500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-140 against Rs100-120 per kg; peas price went up from Rs1,200 to Rs1,250 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs280-300; okra price remained stable at Rs450 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-140, and fresh bean price went up from Rs700 to Rs900 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs200-220 against Rs170-200 per kg.
Fruit prices also witnessed an increasing trend as various types of local apples are available in the range of Rs120-270 against Rs100-250 per kg guava is available at Rs160-200 against Rs140-160 per kg. Bananas are available in the range of Rs60-150 per dozen against Rs50-140 per dozen; various varieties of melons are available in the range of Rs90-150 against Rs100-160; pears are available in the range of Re200-300 against Rs150-200. Various varieties of peaches are being sold in the range of Rs230-300 against Rs150-300 per kg; Nawabpuri mangoes in the range of Rs180-300 against Rs120-250 per kg and grapes price in the range of Rs200-450 against Rs250-550 per kg.
Business Recorder has noted a significant difference between the wholesale market prices, official prices fixed by market committees. DC office has fixed onion price at Rs99-134 per kg while retailers are charging Rs120-150 per kg by making various excuses from some quantity was rotten to high transportation charges to high rents.
One vendor was selling tomatoes of Rs80-120 per kg while another at Rs90-130 per kg of same quality while the official price is Rs70-100 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 Rs1,420 per 15kg bag on one shop and another shopkeeper was selling the same quality of the commodity at Rs1,350. People urged the government to strictly enforce the official price list daily and weekly and prepare it in consultation with the respective traders’ unions and punish the violators. According to traders, over the past few years, continuous increase in fuel and utilities’ costs significantly contributed to increasing the prices.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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