ISLAMABAD: The Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI) for the week ended November 25, recorded a decrease of 0.67 percent due to decrease in the prices of tomatoes (15.42 percent), onions (7.43 percent), chicken (6.62 percent), sugar (1.87 percent), wheat flour (0.95 percent), LPG (0.73 percent), and rice Irri (0.59 percent), says the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The year-on-year trend depicts increase of 18.64 percent, mainly due increase in electricity for Q1 (75.32 percent), LPG (74.85 percent), cooking oil 5 litre (58.34 percent), vegetable ghee 1kg (57.87 percent), mustard oil (56.31 percent), vegetable ghee 2.5kg (56.01 percent), petrol (44.35 percent), washing soap (41.52 percent), diesel (40.21percent), and chilies powdered (34.18 percent), while major decrease was observed in the prices of onions (37.91 percent), moong (28.20 percent), potatoes (25.82 percent), tomatoes (11.72 percent), and sugar (0.57 percent).
According to the latest data, the SPI went down from 169.29 percent during the week ended November 18, 2021 to 168.16 percent during the week under review. The SPI for the consumption groups up to Rs17,733, Rs17,733 to Rs22,888, Rs22,889 to Rs29,517, Rs29,518 to Rs44,175 and for above Rs44,175 decreased by 0.81 percent, 0.82 percent, 0.76 percent, 0.73 percent, and 0.59 percent, respectively.
During the week, out of 51 items, prices of 20 (45.10 percent) items increased, eight (15.69 percent) items decreased, and 23 (45.10 percent) items remained stable, said the PBS in weekly SPI data.
The commodities, which recorded increase in their average prices include Sufi washing soap (2.77 percent), bananas (2.11 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib 2.5kg tin each (2.01 percent), cooking oil Dalda or other similar brand (SN), 5 litre tin each (1.32 percent), firewood whole 40kg (1.09 percent), masoor (1.03 percent), salt powdered (0.93 percent), potatoes (0.82 percent), mustard oil (0.77 percent), vegetable ghee Dalda/Habib or other superior quality 1kg pouch each (0.59 percent), pulse gram (0.44 percent), eggs (0.39 percent), rice basmati broken (0.37 percent), moong (0.35 percent), beef with bone (0.34 percent), garlic (0.16 percent), maash (0.13 percent), curd (0.11 percent), milk fresh (0.11 percent), and cooked beef (0.04 percent).
The commodities, which recorded decrease in their prices during the period under review include tomatoes (15.42 percent), onions (7.43 percent), chicken farm broiler (6.62 percent), sugar (1.87 percent), wheat flour bag 20kg (0.95 percent), LPG (0.73 percent), rice irri-6/9 (0.59 percent), and gur (0.15 percent).
According to the PBS data, sugar was available at Rs93.76 per kg. However, contrary to the PBS data, the market prices, noted by Business Recorder, the commodity was available at Rs4,800 per 50kg bag in wholesale market, ie, Rs96 per kg, which in retail was available at Rs100-105 per kg.
Further, according to the PBS data, wheat flour was available at Rs59.35 per kg or Rs1,187 per 20kg bag. However, the commodity was available at Rs73.33 per kg in the market.
The commodities whose prices remained unchanged during the period included bread plain, mutton, powdered milk, chilies powder, tea Lipton Yellow Label, cooked daal, tea prepared, cigarettes Capstan 20’s packet, long cloth 57” Gul Ahmed/Al Karam1mtr, shirting, lawn printed Gul Ahmed/Al Karam, Georgette, gents sandal Bata pair, gents sponge chappal Bata pair, ladies sandal Bata pair, electricity charges for q1, gas charges, energy saver, match box, petrol super, high-speed diesel, telephone call charges, and toilet soap.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021