ISLAMABAD: Prices of all the essential kitchen items from January 2021 to December 2021 regularly witnessed an increasing trend, revealed an analysis of the weekly market surveys carried out by Business Recorder throughout the year.
According to surveys sugar price from January 2, 2021 to December has jumped up from Rs4,050 per 50 kg bag to Rs4,400 per 50 kg bag which during two months of the year even reached a high of Rs7,600 per bag but after government intervention came down to Rs4,400 per bag level. Sugar prices are declining in December due to the start of crushing season as well as government’s intervention in the market
by releasing imported commodity at Rs90 per kg through Utility Stores outlets and temporary/mobile outlets. According to traders, sugar prices are likely to remain on the lower side till March 2022 due to sufficient stocks but after that big dealers may exploit the situation given international market trends and domestic supply/demand situation.
Normal quality wheat flour bag of 15 kg price went up from Rs955 to Rs1,080 per bag while premier quality wheat flour price jumped up from Rs1,010 per 15 kg bag to Rs1,220 per 15 kg bag. During the period the government-sponsored 20kg wheat flour bag price increased from Rs860 per bag to Rs1,140 per bag but in most parts of the country as well as in Rawalpindi/Islamabad it remained unavailable in majority of the shops. Throughout the year subsidized wheat flour and sugar witnessed a shortage in the Utility Stores outlets. Moreover, according to shopkeepers, the flour millers made the supply of 20kg wheat flour bag conditional on the purchase of 15kg bags. It was repeatedly observed that a majority of the people were unwilling to purchase government-sponsored 20kg wheat flour bag, saying it is of inferior quality and not suitable for consumption.
Prices of essential kitchen items show rising trend
During the period regular increase was witnessed in the ghee/cooking oil prices as price of B-grade ghee/cooking oil in wholesale market jumped up from Rs3,100 per carton to Rs4,500 per carton of 16 packs, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per 900-gram pack against Rs215 per 900gram pack being sold in January this year. While best quality ghee/cooking oil prices increased from Rs1,250 per 5 litre pack to Rs2,060 per 5 litre, which in retail is available at Rs420 per litre in December against Rs280 per litre in January 2021. Ghee and cooking oil prices since January are on the raise as during this period the best quality ghee/cooking oil price witnessed an increase of Rs140 per kg from Rs280 per kg to Rs420 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs85 per pack of 900grams from Rs215 to Rs300 per pack.
Mutton price went up from Rs1,200 per kg to Rs1,450 per kg and boneless beef prices from Rs700 per kg to Rs850 per kg, beef with bones from Rs550 per kg to Rs650 per kg. Branded spices, detergents, tea, rice, powder chillis and powder turmeric prices also witnessed an increasing trend as various brands of Shan/National Masala price jumped up from Rs65 per 43 gram pack to Rs80 per pack by December, detergent prices increased in the range of Rs50 to Rs75 per pack and Lipton Yellow Label 200 gram pack price increased from Rs230 per pack to Rs280 per pack. Powder Chilli price jumped up from Rs350 per kg to Rs400 per kg, powder turmeric price went up from Rs275 per kg to Rs425 per kg and national salt powder price jumped up from Rs25 per 800 gram pack to Rs35 per pack.
The survey observed an increase in the rice prices as fine quality Basmati rice price went up from Rs5,800 per 40 kg to Rs7,000 per 40 kg, normal quality rice from Rs5,100 per 40 kg to Rs6,000 and broken basmati rice jumped up from Rs3,450 per 40 kg to Rs4,500 per 40 kg. Milk and yogurt prices also jumped up as fresh milk went up from Rs115 per kg against Rs145 per kg and yogurt from Rs120 per kg to Rs150 per kg.
Firewood and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices also witnessed an increase as firewood price jumped up from Rs600 per 40 kg to Rs850 per 40 kg and LPG price in retail went up from Rs140 per kg to Rs270 per kg, while the price of 15 kg LPG cylinder from Rs2,100 per cylinder to Rs3,400 per cylinder. LPG in hilly areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan is being sold in the range of Rs280 per kg to Rs300 per kg which in January was available in the range of Rs140-150 per kg.
Eggs and chicken price during the period under review registered an increase as egg prices in wholesale market jumped up from Rs5,300 per carton to Rs5,640 per carton which in retail are being sold at Rs195 per dozen against Rs180 per dozen, chicken price went up from Rs6,600 per 40 kg to Rs7,400 per 40 kg which in retail are being sold at Rs200 per kg against Rs180 per kg.
Prices of packed milk brands such as Olpers, Nestle Milk Pack, and others, during the period under review as witnessed an increase as 200 ml pack of Olpers’ price increased from Rs40 per 200ml pack to Rs43 per pack. Best quality bean lentils at Rs7,500 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs210 per kg, and masoor at Rs4,900 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg, and best quality whole gram at Rs5,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs145 per kg against Rs140 per kg.
Pulses prices witnessed an increase as fine quality maash pulse price in retail jumped up from Rs240 per kg to Rs300 per kg, best quality lentil from Rs150 per kg to Rs210 per kg, best quality bean lentil price from Rs200 per kg to Rs290 per kg, masoor price jumped up from Rs1700 per kg to Rs220 per kg, best quality whole gram from Rs140 per kg to Rs200 per kg and moong price jumped up from Rs140 per kg to Rs165 per kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021