ISLAMABAD: The prices of the essential kitchen items witnessed a mixed trend during this week past as compared with the previous week, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
No changes were observed in prices of cooked food items as well as Liquefied Petroleum Gas prices. Sugar price went up from Rs5,100 per 50kg bag to Rs5,200 per 50kg bag in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs112 per kg against Rs110 per kg, eggs price up from Rs4,200 per carton to Rs4,250 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs150 per dozen.
Chicken price witnessed an upward trend as it went up from Rs4,800 per 40kg to Rs5,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which in retail market is being sold at Rs145 per kg against Rs140 per kg, and chicken meat is being sold at Rs230 per kg against Rs220 per kg.
Ghee and cooking oil prices remained unchanged as the best quality ghee/cooking oil Dalda ghee/cooking oil is being sold at Rs1,720 per 5-litre tin. B-grade ghee/cooking oil price also remained stable at Rs3,800 per carton, while in retail it is being sold at Rs255-260 per 900gram pack. 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 Rs90 per pack of 900 grams from Rs160 to Rs250 per pack.
Wheat flour price remained stable at Rs1,130 per 20kg bag in the wholesale market, while in retail market it is being sold at Rs150 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 Olpers, which is available at Rs42.5 per pack and litre pack at Rs160 per pack. Fresh milk and yogurt prices also remained unchanged at Rs140 per kg and Rs150 per kg respectively. Prices of the various brands of rice remained unchanged during this week as best quality Basmati rice is available at Rs6,800 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs180 per kg, while normal quality rice brands are being sold at Rs80 per kg to Rs120 per kg.
Pulses prices remained unchanged during this week as maash is available at Rs8,600 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs240 per kg, best quality lentil pulse at Rs5,350 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs160 per kg.
Best quality bean lentil at Rs8,400 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per kg, masoor at Rs5,300 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs150 per kg, best quality whole gram at Rs5,500 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs160 per kg and moong at Rs6,500 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs170 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 Rs105.51per kg, while in market on average sugar is available at Rs112 per kg.
Similarly, the PBS mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs1,675.17per 5kg tin, while in the market it is being sold Rs1,720 per 5kg tin.
The PBS mentioned wheat flour price of Rs1,133.53 per 20kg bag but in the market it is available at Rs1,150 per 20kg bag. Fresh milk at Rs111.35 per kg, while in the market it is being sold at Rs140 per kg, cooked daal plate at an average hotel is available at Rs140 against the PBS mentioned price of Rs80.52. Mutton in rural areas of Rawalpindi/Islamabad is available at Rs1,250 per kg, while the PBS has mentioned it at Rs1,119.96 per kg, while in the urban areas of the twin cities mutton is being sold at Rs1,360 per kg. The PBS has mentioned beef with bones price at Rs543.93, while it is being sold in the range of Rs600/650 per kg, while boneless beef is available at Rs750 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021