ISLAMABAD: The prices of the essential kitchen items have witnessed a mixed 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 the wholesale market went up from Rs6,600 to Rs6,700 per 50kg bag, while in retail it is being sold at Rs140/145 per kg.
Chicken prices went up from Rs15,800 to Rs18,800 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs500 against Rs410 per kg and chicken meat is available at Rs750 against Rs630 per kg. Eggs’ prices are stable at Rs9,400 per carton of 30 dozen which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs330-350 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.
Various types of fishes are available in the range of Rs500 to Rs900 per kg. 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 went down from Rs750 to Rs700 per kg and red chili powder price went up from Rs600 to Rs700 per kg.
Wheat flour prices remained stable as the best quality flour is available at Rs1,345 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs1,380 per bag and normal quality wheat flour price is stable at Rs1,310 per 15kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs1,350.
Pulses prices remained stable as in retail market the best quality maash is available at Rs470 per kg, gram pulse at Rs350 per kg, whole gram pulse at Rs330 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs430-530 per kg, moong at Rs290 per kg, and masoor price at Rs300 per kg. The prices of cooked food items remained stable as a cooked daal /vegetable plate at a normal hotel is available at Rs320, cooked beef plate at Rs550, cooked chicken plate at Rs500, cooked mutton at Rs750 and naan /roti is being sold at Rs25/30.
Traders told this correspondent that prices of pulses, rice and basin along with dates are likely to increase in the coming weeks with Ramadan approaching near, saying some of the big wholesalers have started building up stocks.
The prices of branded spices such as Shan, National, and others, witnessed no changes as a pack of 39 grams of spice is available at Rs140.
Prices of the various varieties of rice witnessed a reduction as the best quality basmati rice in wholesale market is available at Rs10,400 against Rs11,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300, normal quality Basmati at Rs8,500 against Rs9,000, which in retail is being sold at Rs260 against Rs270 per kg, and broken Basmati at Rs6,500 against Rs7,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs190 against Rs200.
Ghee/cooking oil prices witnessed a mixed trend as B-grade ghee/oil price went down from Rs6,900 to Rs6,700 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs480 per pack of 900 grams, while best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee price remained stable at Rs2,700 per 5kg tin and cooking oil at Rs2,750 per 5-litre bottle.
Prices of packed milk brands such as Milk Pak and Olpers in wholesale market are stable at Rs2,300 per carton while in retail 250ml packed milk is being sold at Rs90 and Rs350 per litre. Fresh milk prices in some parts of the twin cities have went down from Rs230 per kg to Rs220 per kg while in some parts is still being sold at Rs230 per kg and yoghurt price is stable 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 soaps’ prices as family-size Safeguard and Dettol like soaps are available at Rs150 per pack, family size Lux at Rs140, and detergent prices also remained stable as Ariel Surf, Brite, Express Power and others are available at Rs550 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.
The official price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) went down Rs254.30 to Rs250 per kg while in the market, LPG is being sold in the range of Rs310-350 per kg, which is Rs60-100 per kg higher than the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA)’s set price of Rs250 per kg. LPG traders, the LPG distributors have blamed the marketing companies for higher prices saying marketing companies are supplying them the commodity on higher prices as a result retailers are left with no option other than overcharging the consumers. According to LPG traders, the LPG marketing companies are earning billions of rupees profit by overcharging the consumers, while the OGRA and other relevant departments from federal government to provincial governments have totally ignored the enforcement of official commodity rates.
Prices of vegetables witnessed a decreasing trend as ginger price went down from Rs1,400 to Rs1,200 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs320-350 against Rs330-370 per kg, local garlic price is stable at Rs2,250 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs500-550 450 per kg and China garlic price remained stable at Rs2,500 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs600-650 per kg.
Potato prices went down from Rs200-400 to Rs175-300 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are still being sold in the range of Rs55-85 against Rs60-110 per kg; tomato price in wholesale market went down from Rs550-800 to Rs500-700 per 5kg, but in retail are being sold in the range of Rs150-200, and onion price is stable at Rs450-600 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs110-160.
Capsicum price went up from Rs650 to Rs850 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs210-230 against Rs180-200 per kg, various varieties of pumpkins are available in the range of Rs350-450 against Rs230-450 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-130 against Rs80-130 per kg; various types of tinda prices remained stable at Rs300-350 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-110 per kg; eggplant price went down from Rs230 to Rs175 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs55-70 against Rs70-80 per kg; cauliflower price went down from Rs200 to Rs150 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs60-70 against Rs80-90 per kg and cabbage price went down from Rs170 to Rs120 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50-60 against Rs60-70 per kg. Bitter gourd price is stable at Rs450 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs120-140 per kg, green chili price is stable at Rs300-450 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-150 per kg, carrot price went down from Rs200 to Rs100 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs50-60 against Rs60-70 per kg and cucumber price is stable at Rs120 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50-60.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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