ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items especially wheat flour, sugar prices and vegetables have continued witnessing an upward trend, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
The survey noted further increase in wheat flour price from Rs930 per 15kg bag to Rs975 per 15kg bag in wholesale market, which in retail has reached Rs1,000 per 15kg bag and sugar price jumped from Rs4,400 per 50kg bag to Rs4,600 per 50kg bag in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs100-105 per kg.
Traders said that despite arrival of three imported wheat shipments in the country, which was a part of the government's efforts to stabilise wheat flour prices the wheat flour prices were continuously going up and were expected to touch Rs100 per kg mark as there was no control over the prices.
They further said that same was the case with the sugar prices the government had announced to import 0.3 million tons of sugar to stabilise the prices but as yet no party had succeeded in securing the bids despite giving significant incentives by relieving a number taxes.
Egg prices have once again jumped from Rs115 per dozen to Rs125 per dozen in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold at Rs130-135 per dozen against Rs120-125 per dozen.
Chicken prices went up from Rs5,200 per 40kg to Rs5,800 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs150-160 per kg against Rs140 per kg, while chicken meat is available at Rs250 per kg against Rs230 per kg.
The survey observed an increase in the prices of almost all the vegetables as spinach was the most inexpensive vegetable at Rs35-40 per kg, while peas most expensive at Rs175 per kg.
Ginger prices have also touched all time record high level, which in wholesale market is being sold at Rs2,700 per 5kg against Rs2,400 per 5kg, while in retail it is being sold at Rs630 per kg against Rs600 per kg.
Garlic prices are stabilised at Rs650 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs170 per kg.
Tomatoes price has jumped from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs430 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs90 per kg against Rs80 per kg, and potato price jumped from Rs300 per 5kg to Rs350 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs80 per kg against Rs70 per kg, and onion price jumped from Rs220 per 5kg to Rs270 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs55-60 per kg against Rs50 per kg.
Bean price jumped from Rs400 per 5kg to Rs475 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs110 per kg against Rs90 per kg, pumpkin price went up from Rs400 per 5kg to Rs500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs120 per kg against Rs90 per kg, okra price went up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs260 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs60 per kg, bitter gourd price went up from Rs250 per 5kg to Rs280 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs60 per kg.
Peas price went up from Rs650 per 5kg to Rs750 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs165-175 per kg against Rs150 per kg.
Capsicum price went up from Rs400 per 5kg to Rs525 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs125 per kg against Rs100 per kg, tinda price jumped from Rs375 per 5kg to Rs475 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs115 per kg against Rs85-90 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020