The prices of most of the essential kitchen items including ghee/cooking oil, sugar, milk, LPG and cooked items/meal registered a substantial increase last week as compared to preceding week, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder on Saturday.
Traders and wholesalers in different markets of Rawalpindi/Islamabad said prices of most of the essential kitchen items went up during last week; however vegetables and fruits prices showed mixed trend. Ghee/cooking oil prices increased by Rs 5 to Rs 10 per kg/liter depending on brands as Dalda cooking oil/ghee prices increased from Rs 200 per liter/kg to Rs 210 per liter/kg.
Similarly, Kisan cooking oil/ghee prices increased from Rs 195 per liter/kg to Rs 200 per liter/kg. Ghee/cooking oil of lower quality were available at Rs 180 to Rs 195 per kg/liter with an increase of Rs 5 per kg/liter. Sugar prices increased from Rs 56 per kg to Rs 58 per kg during the last week as compared to the preceding week. Milk prices increased by Rs 10 per liter last week as Olpers was available at Rs 90 per liter against its previous price of Rs 80 per liter. The LPG price increased by Rs 5 per kg last week.
The prices of most of the cooked items increased during last week, as compared to the preceding week, as price of plate of beef, vegetable, daal, cup of tea and plain chapatti went up by Rs 5, Rs 5, Rs 3, Rs 2 and Rs 1 respectively as compared to the preceding week. Prices of pulses remained on high side during the past week without significant change, as mash was available at Rs 155-160 per kg, moong at Rs 120 per kg, masoor at Rs 125 per kg, channa at Rs 100 and Lobia at Rs 100 per kg.
Similarly, prices of different rice varieties; basmati-386, Irri-6 and basmati broken remained unchanged during last week. Survey noted a mixed trend in prices of vegetables as prices of some increased while other remained unchanged. Tomato was available at Rs 20-25 per kg, onion at Rs 30 per kg, brinjal at Rs 20 against Rs 25 per kg, karela at Rs 50 against Rs 60 per kg, ladyfinger at Rs 50 against Rs 60 per kg, shimla mirch at Rs 100 per kg, potato at Rs 35 per kg against Rs 40 per kg, arvi at Rs 60 per kg without any change and tenda at Rs 20 against Rs 25 per kg during the week under review as compared to the preceding week.
Survey also witnessed a mixed trend as melon was available at Rs 20-25 per kg against Rs 30-35 and water million at Rs 20-30 per kg against Rs 30-35 per kg during the past week as compared to the preceding week. However, prices of other fruits remained unchanged as dark red and golden apple was available at Rs 170 to Rs 220 per kg depending on quality, Indian banana at Rs 180 to Rs 200 and Pakistani banana at Rs 80 to Rs 100 per kg during the past week as compared to the preceding week.