ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items have continued witnessing an upward trend, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder.
The survey revealed sugar price in the wholesale market has jumped from Rs 4,400 per 50kg bag to Rs 4,450 per bag, rice price also went up as top quality Basmati price has taken to the all time high level at Rs 6,000 per 40kg bag from Rs 5,500 per bag which in retail is being sold at Rs 1780 per kg.
After months the flour millers have restored the 20kg wheat flour bag but with taking the prices up from Rs 1,250 per 20kg bag to Rs 1,350 per bag, normal quality wheat flour price from Rs1,200 per bag to Rs1,300 per bag.
Within the past one year flour millers have increased the wheat flour price by Rs 500 per 20kg bag or Rs 25 per kg.
The survey noted a further increase in ghee/cooking oil prices as B-grade ghee/cooking oil price in wholesale market jumped from Rs 2,650 per carton of 12 packs to Rs 2,700 per carton of 12 packs, which in retail is being sold at Rs 230 per pack of 900gram against Rs 225 per 900 gram pack.
Sugar prices which two months ago declined to Rs 3,750 per 50kg bag, since past eight weeks is continually witnessing an increase as it has once again reached Rs 95 to Rs 100 per kg mark.
Prices of the best quality ghee/cooking oil prices increased from Rs 1,320 per 5 litre pack to Rs 1,340 in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs 1,380 per 5 litre pack against Rs 1,350 per 5 litre pack.
During past two months, best quality ghee/cooking oil prices have witnessed an increase of Rs 160 per 5 litre bottle or Rs 32 per litre increase, while normal quality ghee/cooking oil brands have witnessed an increase of Rs 45 per 900gram pack.
The survey observed an increase in the rice prices as fine quality Basmati rice price went from Rs 5,800 per 40kg to Rs 6,000 per 40kg, normal quality rice price is stable at Rs 5,100 per 40kg and broken basmati rice jumped from Rs 3,450 per 40kg to Rs 3,500 per 40kg.
Eggs and chicken price during the week under review registered a decline as egg prices in wholesale market dropped from Rs 5,000 per carton to Rs 4,300 per carton which in retail are being sold at Rs 160 per dozen against Rs 180 per dozen, chicken price reduced from Rs 6,300 per 40kg to Rs 6,000 per 40kg which in retail are being sold at Rs 160 per kg against Rs 170 per kg.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices and firewood remained stable as LPG domestic cylinder of 15kg price is stable at Rs2400 per cylinder, firewood prices at Rs 800 per 40kg.
Milk and yogurt prices also remained stable at Rs 125 per kg and Rs 140 per kg respectively.
A comparison of the prevailing market prices with the prices computed by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has find serious differences as the PBS has mentioned sugar price at Rs 91.71 per kg which in the market is available at Rs 95 per kg.
Similarly, the PBS has mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs 273.52 per kg while in market it is being sold at Rs 280 per kg.
The PBS has mentioned wheat flour price of Rs947.17 per 20kg bag but in the market it is available at Rs 1,350 per 20kg bag.
The PBS has mentioned fresh milk price at Rs 105 per kg while in the market it is being sold at Rs 125 per kg, cooked daal plate at an average hotel is available at Rs 90 per plate against the PBS mentioned price of Rs 75 per plate, mutton in rural areas of Rawalpindi/Islamabad is available at Rs 1,100 per kg, while the PBS has mentioned it at Rs 994.48 per kg, while in urban areas of the twin cities, mutton is being sold at Rs 1,250 per kg.
The government-sponsored 20kg wheat flour bag which is available at Rs 860 per 20kg bag but it is not available on majority of the shops as well as on the Utility Stores’ outlets.
It is also observed that a majority of the people are not willing to purchase government-sponsored 20kg wheat flour bag, saying it is of inferior quality and not suitable for consumption.
The survey noted that prices of majority of vegetables and fruits witnessed a mixed trend.
Tomato price went up from Rs 300 per 5kg to Rs 350 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs 80 per kg against Rs 70 per kg, onion price remained stable at Rs 175 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 45-50 per kg, potato price also remained stable at Rs 180 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 45-50 per kg.
Ginger price went up from Rs 1,200 per 5kg to Rs 1,250 per 5kg which in retail market are being sold at Rs 300 per kg against Rs 290 per kg, and garlic prices remained stable at Rs 900 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 220 per kg.
Prices of most of the other vegetables witnessed a mixed trend during this week as cauliflower is available at Rs 25 per kg, cabbage at Rs 25 per kg, peas price went down from Rs 70 per kg to Rs 50 per kg, cucumber went down from Rs 65 per kg to Rs 55 per kg, brinjal price went up from Rs 45 per kg to Rs 50 per kg, fresh bean went up from Rs 90 per kg to Rs 120 per kg, maroo kadu price went down from Rs 55 per kg to Rs 45 per kg and pumpkin price went down from Rs 70 per kg to Rs 55 per kg.
Best quality banana price jumped from Rs 90 per dozen to Rs 120 per dozen, while normal from Rs 70 per dozen to Rs 90 per dozen, Pakistani Kala Kilo apple went up from Rs 120 per kg to Rs 130 per kg and Iranian Kala Kilo from Rs 150 per kg to Rs 175 per kg, guava price went up from Rs 60 per kg to Rs 75 per kg.
Various qualities of oranges prices went up from Rs 60-150 per dozen to Rs 75-175 per dozen with Redblood Khanpuri shakri malta most expensive at Rs 175 per dozen and shakri Punjabi at Rs 75 most inexpensive.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021