PESHAWAR: Amid rising rates of petrol commodities, prices of sugar, flour, cooking oil and grocery, confectionery items along with vegetables, fruits and live chicken/meat, pulses and others have sky-rocketed in the retail market, according to a survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday.

A record high prices of sugar has been registered in local market as 50-kg sac has increased at Rs 6,200 against the previous week price of Rs 5,200, which has brought trickle down affects in retail market wherein one-kg sugar is being sold at Rs140-150 and Rs160 against the price of Rs105/- per kg in the previous week, the survey noted.

Traders have attributed sugar prices to have increased owing to difference between supply and demand, coupled with increasing prices of petrol products. However, the market sources said that the price will go down in a couple of days after the arrival of fresh stock of sugar in the province.

The survey revealed flour prices are also become dearer in the local and wholesale market, as a 80-kg sac of flour has crossed R7,000 while 85-kg sac was being sold at Rs 7,600, forcing the tandoor owners [bread maker] to increase price of 170 gram Roti at Rs15 and Rs20 and doubled weight at Rs30.

Prices of all confectionery items have also increased sharply owing to a surge in the maiden (fine flour) rate as 50-kg sacs are being sold at Rs 6,000 in the wholesale market, the survey noted.

Fresh milk is being sold at Rs150-160 per litre while yogurt was being available at Rs120-140 per kg, the survey noted.

No respite for price-hike hit people as price of cooking oil and ghee has further increased in the local market, according to the survey, different brands and quality ghee and cooking have been sold within range of Rs250-260, Rs300-320 and Rs350 per kg/litre in retail market.

Price of live chicken remained high-side as one-kg was being sold at Rs241 in the local market, while a dozen of farm eggs was available at Rs180-200, the survey noted. Cow meat is being sold at Rs550-600 per kg, while mutton beef is being sold at Rs1300-1400 per kg.

A steep increase in prices of tomatoes is being noticed in the local market as tomatoes were available at Rs150 per kg which was selling at Rs60 per kg in the previous week. Ginger is being sold at Rs400-450 per kg, while onion was available at Rs70 per kg, garlic at Rs250-280 per kg, ginger at Rs400 per kg.

Green chili is being sold at Rs120 per kg, whereas one-kg lemon was being available at Rs120 per kg in the retail market, the survey said. A one-kg cucumber is being sold at Rs50 per kg, it added.

According to the survey, peas at Rs250-300 per kg; arvi at Rs120 per kg, bitter gourd (Karela) at Rs150 per kg, ladyfinger at Rs100 per kg, kado at Rs80 per kg, tori at Rs80 per kg, cauliflower at Rs100-120 , cabbage at Rs100 per kg, bringle at Rs60 per kg, new seasonal red-potato at Rs80-90/ and other potatoes available within range of Rs50-60 per kg, capsicum at Rs120 per kg.

The prices of food grains/grocery items have also increased in the local market. It was revealed that good quality rice (sela) was being sold at Rs 150-160 per kg, while other qualities were being available within range of Rs120-130 and Rs140/- per kg, while toota rice was being sold at Rs80-90 per kg.

Likewise, red bean is being sold within range of Rs180 and Rs 200-220 per kg, white lobiya at Rs200 per kg, big-size white-channa available at Rs200 per kg while small size at Rs160 per kg, mash dal was being sold at Rs280 per kg, dhoti dal at Rs250 per kg, dal masoor at Rs170 per kg. Dal chilka (green) was available at Rs180 while dal chilka (black) was being sold at Rs250 per kg.

The survey noted that the prices of fruits are completely out of the purchasing power of the common man in the local market. Golden colored apples are being sold at Rs150 per kg, the survey said. Similarly, it added that bananas available at Rs 60-80/dozen, guava was being sold at Rs100-120 per kg, pomegranate at Rs200-250 per kg, persimmons (amlok) at Rs100-120 per kg, grapes at Rs150-200/ and Rs250 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021