ISLAMABAD: The prices of most of the essential kitchen items have witnessed an upward trend during this week past as compared with the previous week, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.

The survey observed average restaurant operators have increased the prices of cooked daal, vegetables, prepared tea cup, roti and other cooked items.

Hotel operators, while talking to this correspondent said that owing to an increase in gas, electricity, and other utilities cost, they were forced to increase normal roti price from Rs 10 to Rs 12, daal plate from Rs 120 to Rs 140, and cooked vegetable plate from Rs 110 to Rs 130.

They further said that owing to increase in gas, power, milk, sugar, tea prices they have also increased tea cup price from Rs 30 per cup to Rs 35.

It was further observed that a cup of tea on various restaurants is being sold at Rs 40-50, cooked daal at Rs 160 per plate, cooked vegetable plate at Rs 150, and roti at Rs 15.

During the week under review Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices witnessed a fresh increase of Rs 10 per kg from Rs 170 per kg to Rs 180 per kg, domestic cylinder of 15kg price increased by Rs 150 per cylinder from Rs 2,475 per cylinder to Rs 2,625 per cylinder, and commercial cylinder price has reached Rs 8,080 per cylinder, after witnessing an increase of Rs 450 per cylinder.

The survey revealed sugar price remained stable at Rs 5,100 per 50kg bag in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs 110-112 per kg, egg price went up from Rs 4,650 per carton to Rs 4,700 per carton, the record high level, in summer season-which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per dozen against Rs 165 per dozen.

The increase in petrol, LPG and CNG prices has also impacted the prices of all the daily use items due to an increase in transportation costs as taxi, mini van, and rickshaw operators have increased fares which have further pushed up the prices.

Chicken price witnessed a reduction as it went down from Rs 7,350 per 40kg to Rs 5,400 per 40kg, the record low level of the past one year in wholesale market, which in retail market is being sold at Rs 160 per kg against Rs 200 per kg, and chicken meat is being sold at Rs 250 per kg against Rs 320 per kg.

Ghee and cooking oil prices, which kept on witnessing an increasing trend during the past many months, remained unchanged during this week as a result of best quality ghee/cooking oil like Dalda ghee/cooking oil is being sold at Rs 1,720 per 5litre tin.

B-grade ghee/cooking oil price also remained stable which last week witnessed an increase from Rs 3,500 per 16-pack carton to Rs 3,800 per carton, while in retail is being sold at Rs 255-260 per 900gram pack.

Since December 2020, best quality ghee/cooking oil price has witnessed an increase of Rs 110 per kg from Rs 250 per kg to Rs 360 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs 90 per pack of 900 grams from Rs 160 to Rs 250 per pack.

Wheat flour price remained stable at Rs 1,130 per 20kg bag in wholesale market, while in retail market is being sold at Rs 150 per 20kg bag.

The government-sponsored subsidised wheat flour is not being supplied in the open market.

No changes were observed in packed milk prices such as Milk Pak and Olper which is available at Rs 42.5 per pack and litre pack at Rs 160 per pack.

Fresh milk and yogurt prices also remained unchanged at Rs 140 per kg and Rs 150 per kg respectively.

Prices of various brands of rice remained unchanged during this week as best quality Basmati rice price is available at Rs 6,800 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 180 per kg, while normal quality rice brands are being sold at Rs 80 per kg to Rs 120 per kg.

Pulses prices remained unchanged during this week as maash is available at Rs 8,600 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs240 per kg, best quality lentil at Rs5,350 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 160 per kg.

Best quality bean lentil at Rs 8,400 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 230 per kg, masoor at Rs 5,300 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 150 per kg, best quality whole gram at Rs 5,500 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 160 per kg and moong at Rs 6,500 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 170 per kg.

A comparison of the prevailing market prices with the prices computed by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) has revealed serious differences as the PBS has mentioned sugar price at Rs 106.34 per kg, while in the market on average sugar is available at Rs 110 per kg.

Similarly, the PBS mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs 1,657.77 per 5kg tin, while in the market it is being sold at Rs 1,720 per 5kg tin.

The PBS mentioned wheat flour price of Rs 1,134.58 per 20kg bag but in the market it is available at Rs 1,150 per 20kg bag.

Fresh milk price at Rs 110.96 per kg, while in the market, it is being sold at Rs 140 per kg, cooked daal plate at average hotel is available at Rs 140 against the PBS mentioned price of Rs 79.88 per plate, mutton in rural areas of Rawalpindi/Islamabad is available at Rs 1,250 per kg, while the PBS has mentioned it at Rs 1,116.11 per kg, while in the urban areas of the twin cities, mutton is being sold at Rs 1,360 per kg.

The PBS has mentioned beef with bones price at Rs 542.81, while it is being sold in the range of Rs 600/650 per kg, while boneless beef is available at Rs 750 per kg.

Overall vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend as potato price is stable at Rs 240 per 5kg, which in retail are still being sold at Rs 55 per kg, tomatoes price is stable at Rs 350 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold at Rs 80 per kg, onion price is also stable at Rs 230 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 55 per kg.

Ginger price went down from Rs 2,900 per 5kg to Rs 1,750 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs 400 per kg against Rs 630 per kg and Quetta garlic price went up from Rs 1,000 per 5kg to Rs 1,100 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 275 per kg against Rs 250 per kg.

Pumpkin price went down from Rs 450 per 5kg to Rs 300 per 5kg,which in retail is being sold at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 100 per kg, okra price went up from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 275 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 60 per kg, capsicum price went up from Rs 200 per 5kg to Rs 350 per kg, which in retail is available at Rs80 per kg against Rs 50 per kg, fresh bean price went up Rs425 per 5kg to Rs650 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 150 per kg against Rs 100 per kg, peas price went up from Rs 700 per 5kg to Rs 800 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 185 per kg against Rs 170 per kg, cauliflower price went down from Rs 300 per 5kg to Rs 200 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 55 per kg against Rs65 per kg, and cabbage price went up from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 300 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 60 per kg.

Fruit prices witnessed a mixed trend as best quality banana is available at Rs 100 per dozen against Rs 120 per dozen, while normal quality in the range of Rs 65-75 per dozen against Rs 80-90 per dozen, various brands of apple are available in the range of Rs 90-300 per kg.

Various brands of peach are available in the range of Rs 110-200 per kg and various qualities of mangoes in the range of Rs 80-200 per kg against Rs 100-225 per kg, guava at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 70 per kg, while plum is available at Rs 175 per kg and plum gift at Rs 350 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021