While the rates of flour, sugar, ghee, suji, maida and poultry still remained undecided the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has finally fixed prices of the kitchen items for the holy month of Ramazan.
The CDGK, wholesalers and retailers of the grocery items have agreed on a price list which has a decrease ranging from 3.33 percent to 20 percent while an increase from 1.81 to 66.66 percent as compared to the prevalent market rates, said a document made available to Business Recorder on Tuesday.
"We have hardly been able to convince the wholesalers and retailers to get a Rs 2 benefit on each item, as they were demanding for Rs 4 ", official sources in Enterprise & Investment Promotion (E&IP) department of the CDGK replied when questioned about increase in the rates of some items.
They said the price list for the essential commodities would be issued on the first day of Ramazan, which would be applicable till the last day of the holy month.
Sources said, "The special thing about this price list would be that all stakeholders have signed an agreement that no fluctuation would be made in the prices of essential commodities during the month of Ramazan".
The remarkable decrease was made in the price of Garam Masala (sabit), which stands at Rs 32 per 100 gram, a rate around 20 percent lower than the prevailing Rs 40, the document showed.
While the biggest increase can be witnessed in price of Haldi Powder, which has been retailed at Rs 15 per 100 gram making an increase of Rs 6 or 66.66 percent as compared to the existing Rs 9, it said.
The price list showed a 12.5 percent decline in the rate of Basen, which would be sold at Rs 42 per kilogram (kg) around Rs 6 lower than the prevalent market rates.
Rate of per kilogram Dal Mash Dhuli 1(washed) has been fixed at Rs 62, around 8.82 percent lower than the prevalent Rs 68, Dal Mash Chilka Kali to be sold at Rs 52 marking a decrease of around 10.34 percent, said the document.
The list showed a decrease of 13.33, 16, 12.12, 10, 4.16 and 8.33 percent in the respective prices of Dal Mash sabit (Rs 52) and Dal Mong Dhuli 1(Rs 52), Dal Mong Dhuli 2 (Rs 42), Dal Arher 1 (Rs 58), Dal Masoor 1 (Rs 54), Dal Masoor sabit 1 (Rs 46) and Dal Masoor sabit 2 to be sold at an agreed rate of Rs 44.
Rate of Dal Arher 2 has, however, been fixed with 1 rupee or 1.81 percent increase at Rs 56 against the prevailing Rs 55, the document said.
Meanwhile, sources in E&IP said due to non-serious attitude of the flour millers and poultry retailers and wholesalers a conclusive meeting could not be held to fix prices of the two essential commodities.
"we will hold a meeting Tomorrow (September 12) with the representatives from flour mills and poultry association and hopefully the meeting would produce positive results", they added.
The price of Atta (flour) 2-1/2 (chakki), sources said was expected to be fixed at between Rs 17 and Rs 17 and half per kg. When asked why the price list for sugar was missing so far sources replied that since the sugar prices are going down day-by-day the city government wanted to let it go down to its ultimate level.
"The process of decline in sugar prices would halt if we fixed its prices which would certainly go not in favour of the people", they contended. Following is the list of major commodities with a price fixed for Ramazan, prevailing market rates and decrease or increase in percentage.
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Commodity (per kg) Price Prevalent Price Change in %
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PULSES
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Rice Karnal Basmati Special Rs 60 Rs 70 14.28
Rice Karnal Basmati 1 Rs 58 Rs 65 10.76
Rice Karnal Basmati 2 Rs 56 Rs 60 6.66
Rice Karnal Basmati $3 Rs 52 Rs 55 5.45
Rice Basmati 1 Rs 48 Rs 50 4.00
Rice Basmati 2 Rs 46 Rs 48 4.16
Rice Basmati 3 Rs 42 Rs 44 4.54
Rice Karnal Basmati Sella 1 Rs 58 Rs 60 3.33
Rice Karnal Basmati Sella 2 Rs 52 Rs 56 7.14
Rice Basmati Sella 1 Rs 50 Rs 52 3.84
Rice Basmati Sella 2 Rs 48 Rs 50 4.00
Rice Basmati Super Tota Rs 42 Rs 44 4.54
Rice Basmati Super Tota 1 Rs 38 Rs 40 5.00
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Rate of Eri-6, however, witnessed no change as it was fixed at Rs 22 per kg, which stands equal to the prevailing market rate, showed the list.
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Dal Mash Dhuli 2 Rs 58 Rs 60 3.33
Dal Mong Chilka Rs 48 Rs 52 7.69
Dal Mong Sabit Rs 46 Rs 55 16.36
Dal Masoor 2 Rs 50 Rs 56 10.00
Dal Channa VIP Rs 44 Rs 48 8.33
Dal Channa 1 Rs 42 Rs 44 4.54
Dal Channa 2 Rs 38 Rs 40 5.26
Kabli Channa 1 Rs 56 Rs 60 6.66
Kabli Channa 2 Rs 42 Rs 48 12.5
Kala Channa 1 Rs 37 Rs 40 7.5
Kala Channa 2 Rs 34 Rs 40 15
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The price list for spices carried a mixed trend with at least 8 items marking increase while the same number going downward.
SPICES (per 100 gram):
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Red Chili Sabit Rs 14 Rs 12 up 16.66
Red Chili Powder Rs 15 Rs 14 up 7.14
Dhannia Sabit Rs 11 Rs 10 up 10
Dhannia Powder Rs 14 Rs 10 up 40
Haldi Sabit Rs 10 Rs 8 up 25
Zeera White Rs 22 Rs 20 up 10
Zeera Black Special - Rs 55 -
Zeera Black Rs 28 Rs 28 -
Daar Chini Rs 14 Rs 12 up 16.66
Elaichi Big Black Rs 36 Rs 40 -10
Elaichi Small Black Rs 58 Rs 60 -3.33
Elaichi Small Green Rs 70 Rs 80 -12.5
Long Rs 36 Rs 40 -10
Black Chili Sabit Rs 34 Rs 40 -15
Black Chili Powder Rs 36 Rs 40 -10
Garam Masala Powder Rs 34 Rs 40 -15
Chat Masala Rs 10 Rs 12 -16.66
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