ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items including eggs, wheat flour, ghee/cooking oil, sugar, chicken, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and ginger, have witnessed a further increase during this week past against the preceding week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.

The survey noted an increase of Rs10 per 15kg bag of wheat flour, which jumped from Rs975 per 15kg in wholesale market to Rs985 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,020 per 15kg bag, and sugar price while setting new record in wholesale market has reached Rs4,800 per 50kg bag from Rs4,730 per 50kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs105 per kg.

Egg prices also reached record high level as it jumped from Rs133 per dozen to Rs139 per dozen in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold at Rs150 per dozen against Rs140-145 per dozen.

Chicken prices went up from Rs5,500 per 40kg to Rs5,800 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs160 per kg against Rs155 per kg, while chicken meat is available at Rs260 per kg.

However, during the week under review pulses prices remained stable as moong is being sold at Rs240 per kg, lentil mash at Rs240 per kg, lentil gram at Rs140 per kg, best quality bean lentil from Rs260 per kg, masoor lentil at Rs140 per kg, and whole gram lentil at Rs150 per kg.

Milk price, which were increased last week, remained stable during the week under review as packed milk prices including Nestle milk pack and Olpers are being sold at Rs40 per 200ml pack.

Ghee and cooking oil price further jumped as B-grade ghee/cooking oil brands such as Phool and Fauji went up from Rs175 per 900gram pack to Rs185 per 900gram pack and best quality ghee/cooking oil such as Dalda/Sufi brands jumped from Rs250 per kg to Rs260 per pack.

Spices including Shan and National 25gram pack prices jumped from Rs65 per pack to Rs75 per pack, while red powder chillis price jumped from Rs920 per kg to Rs1,000 per kg, and turmeric powder price jumped to Rs380 per kg from Rs350 per kg.

The survey observed an increasing trend in the prices of vegetables as spinach price went up from Rs30 per kg to Rs35 per bundle, and peas price jumped from Rs800 per 5kg to Rs900 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs190 per kg.

The ginger prices in wholesale market went up from Rs2,700 per 5kg to record new level of Rs3,000 per 5kg, while in retail is being sold at Rs700 per kg against Rs630 per kg.

Garlic prices went further up from Rs750 per 5kg to Rs800 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs200 per kg against Rs190 per kg.

Tomato price went up from Rs450 per 5kg to Rs500 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs120 per kg against Rs95 per kg, and potato price went up 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 went up from Rs280 per 5kg to Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs70-75 per kg against Rs65 per kg.

Bean price remained stable at Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs95-100 per kg, pumpkin price went down from Rs325 per 5kg to Rs220 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50 per kg against Rs75 per kg, okra price went up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs225 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs55 per kg against Rs50 per kg, bitter gourd price went up from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs90 per kg against Rs80 per kg.

Capsicum price went further up from Rs650 per 5kg to Rs700 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs180 per kg against Rs175 per kg, tinda price went down from Rs450 per 5kg to Rs350 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs85 per kg against Rs110 per kg.

Fruit prices witnessed a declining trend as best quality Gaja apple was being sold at Rs90 per kg against Rs105 per kg, while normal at Rs65-75 per kg against Rs85 per kg, best quality Golden Apple at Rs85 per kg against Rs90 per kg, while normal at Rs60 per kg against Rs65 per kg, best quality Pakistani banana at Rs75 per dozen against Rs50 per dozen, while normal at Rs45-55 per dozen against Rs35-40 per dozen, best quality grapes at Rs275 per kg, while normal in the range of Rs120-190 per kg, peach at Rs230 per kg.

Guava price remained stable at Rs65 per kg, while Nawabpuri chonsa mango price went up from Rs175 per kg to Rs190 per kg, and sweet orange price went further up from Rs125 per dozen to Rs150 per dozen.

New arrival pomegranate price went down from Rs200 per kg to Rs160 per kg, and Japani fruit price went down from Rs80 per kg to Rs70 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020