ISLAMABAD: Sugar, and ghee/cooking oil prices, chicken, fresh milk along with vegetables and fruit have witnessed a further increase during this week past as compared with the previous week, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey noted an increase of Rs100 per 49.5 kg bag of sugar as sugar price jumped from Rs4,800 per bag to Rs4,900 per bag, which in retail market is being sold at Rs105 per kg.
Chicken prices which for two weeks witnessed slight reduction have once again went up by Rs1,000 per 49 kg from Rs8,400 per 40 kg to Rs9,400 per 40 kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per kg against Rs230 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs430 per kg against Rs350 per kg.
Cooking oil and ghee prices during the week under review witnessed another increase as lowest grade ghee/cooking oil price jumped from Rs3,100 per 16 carton pack to Rs3,380 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs225 per kg. While best quality ghee/cooking oil prices remained unchanged at Rs1,525 per 5-litre tin.
Since December 2020, best quality ghee/cooking oil price has witnessed an increase of Rs110 per kg from Rs250 per kg to Rs360 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs75 per pack of 900 grams from Rs160 to Rs125-235 per pack.
Egg prices both in wholesale as well as in retail markets witnessed an increase as in wholesale market egg price jumped from Rs4,850 per carton to Rs4,900 per carton, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs170-175 per dozen.
Powder challis price is stable at Rs27,000 per 40 kg, which in retail are available at Rs750 per kg.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices remained stable at Rs2,400 per cylinder. Prices of all the brands of detergents remained unchanged at Rs320 per pack, Basin price also witnessed no change which a week ago jumped from Rs3,800 per 40kg to Rs5,000 per 40kg.
No changes were observed in packed milk prices such as Milk Pack and Olpher which is available at Rs42.5 per pack and liter pack at Rs160 per pack. Fresh milk and yogurt prices also went up as milkmen have increased the fresh milk price by Rs15 per kg from Rs125 per kg to Rs140 per kg and yogurt price from Rs140 per kg to Rs150 per kg.
Rice prices remained stable at Rs 5,700 per bag which in retail is being sold at Rs175 per kg.
Wheat flour price also remained stable at Rs 1,330 per bag, normal quality wheat flour at Rs 1,270 per bag.
Pulses prices remained stable as moong in wholesale is available at Rs 9,200 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs240 per kg. Maash at Rs 10,600 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 280 per kg; best quality lentil at Rs 6,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per kg. Best quality bean lentil at Rs9,500 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs260 per kg, masoor at Rs6,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per kg, and best quality whole gram at Rs6,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs160 per kg.
A comparison of the prevailing market prices with the prices computed by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed serious differences as the PBS has mentioned sugar price at Rs99.02 per kg which in market on average is available at Rs105 per kg. Similarly, the PBS mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs 1,510.73 per 5kg tin, while in market it is being sold at Rs 1,565 per 5kg tin.
The PBS mentioned wheat flour price of Rs967.88 per 20kg bag but in the market it is available at Rs 1,330 per 20kg bag. Fresh milk price at Rs107.25 per kg while in market it is being sold at Rs140 per kg, cooked daal plate at average hotel is available at Rs95 per plate against the PBS mentioned price of Rs77.91 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 1,006.55 per kg, while in urban areas of the twin cities mutton is being sold at Rs 1,250 per kg.
The survey noted an increasing trend in the prices of vegetables as tomatoes price went up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs220 per 5kg in wholesale market which in retail are being sold at Rs60 per kg against Rs50-52 per kg, onion price is stable at to Rs120 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs35 per kg, potato price is stable at Rs210 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs52 per kg.
Ginger remained stable at Rs 1,300 per 5kg which in retail market are being sold at Rs325 per kg and garlic prices went up from Rs500 per 5kg to Rs550 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs125 per kg.
Pumpkin prices remained stable at Rs300 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs70 per kg, okra price jumped from Rs800 per 5kg to Rs950 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs225 per kg against Rs175 per kg, capsicum price is stable at Rs320 per 5kg which in retail is available at Rs80 per kg, fresh bean price went up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs370 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs90 per kg against Rs50 per kg, peas price went up from Rs375 per 5kg to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs100 per kg against Rs85 per kg, Tinda price jumped from Rs275 per 5kg to Rs425 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs110 per kg against Rs70 per kg.
Fruit prices also witnessed an increasing trend as best quality banana price jumped from Rs130 per dozen to Rs140 per dozen, while normal from Rs80 per dozen to Rs90 per dozen, guava from Rs90 per kg to Rs100 per kg, grapes from Rs235 per kg to Rs240 per kg, various brands of apple from Rs85-175 per kg to Rs90-200 per kg. Various brands of oranges price is stable at Rs70-220 per dozen, new arrival melon is being sold at Rs80 per kg, and dates at Rs200-450 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021