ISLAMABAD: The prices of majority of essential kitchen items have witnessed an increasing trend as compared with the last week of the previous, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.

The survey observed a further increase in the pulses prices as fine quality maash price in retail further jumped by Rs10 per kg from Rs310 per kg to Rs320 per kg, best quality lentil from Rs210 per kg to Rs220 per kg, best quality bean lentil price remained stable at Rs300 per kg, masoor price also remained unchanged at Rs220 per kg, best quality whole gram from Rs220 per kg to Rs230 per kg, and moong price jumped from Rs165 per kg to Rs170 per kg.

Sugar price went up from Rs 4,400 per bag to Rs 4,500 per 50kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs95 per kg. B-grade cooking oil brands such as Phool prices jumped from Rs 4,400 per carton to Rs 4,500 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per pack of 900 gram, while prices of the best quality cooking oil and ghee remained stable as best quality cooking oil brands such as Dalda is available at Rs 2,020 per 5-litre pack.

Ghee and cooking oil prices since December 2020 are on the raise; as during this period the best quality ghee/cooking oil price has witnessed an increase of Rs165 per kg from Rs250 per kg Rs415 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs140 per pack of 900grams from Rs160 to Rs300 per pack.

Contrary to the claim of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistic (PBS) wheat flour prices witnessed an increase of Rs20 per 15kg bag normal quality wheat flour bag price in the wholesale market went up from Rs 1,040 per 15kg to Rs 1,060 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 1,080 per 15kg bag against Rs 1,060 per bag.

While the government-sponsored wheat flour bag of 20kg price also went up from at Rs 1,140 per bag to Rs 1,170 per bag.

Powder chilies price went up from Rs450 per kg to Rs500 per kg and powder turmeric prices remained stable at Rs400 per kg.

According to wholesalers, the increase in petrol and high-speed diesel oil prices have also played a role in increasing the prices of all the daily use items as transportation cost have gone up.

Traders said that the increase in fuel price had immediately affected the prices of the vegetables and other edible items as these items are transported on a daily basis. They said that if a pick-up truck charging Rs 10,000 fare from district Swabi to Islamabad wholesale market now will charge at least Rs 1,000 additional as a result edible prices including chicken and eggs will go up.

Spices, tea, fresh as well as packed milk prices remained unchanged.

Chicken price has witnessed an increase of Rs 1,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which jumped from Rs 7,000 per 40kg to Rs 8,000 per 40kg, while in retail, chicken is being sold at Rs220 per kg against Rs190 per kg and chicken meat price went up from Rs300 per kgto Rs340 per kg.

Eggs prices witnessed a reduction as it went down from Rs5,600 per carton to Rs5,250 per carton and in retail market are being sold at Rs185 per dozen against Rs195 per dozen.

Firewood price is unchanged at Rs900 per 40kg and despite the fact the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has announced a reduction in the prices of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) but the LPG dealers are still selling the commodity at Rs270 per kg, while 15kg LPG cylinder is being sold at Rs 3,400 per cylinder.

Overall vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend as potato price went further up from Rs220 per 5kg to Rs230 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs55 per kg against Rs50 per kg, onions price went up from Rs160 per 5kg to Rs175 per 5kg, which in retail is available at Rs45 per kg against Rs40 per kg and tomato price went down from Rs250 per 5kg to Rs180 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs50 per kg against Rs60 per kg. Peas price jumped from Rs110 per kg to Rs140 per kg, Chinese garlic from Rs290 per kg to Rs320 per kg, local ginger price from Rs220 per kg to Rs250 per kg, fresh bean from Rs70 to Rs80 per kg, capsicum from Rs100 per kg to Rs140 per kg, green chilies from Rs90 to Rs125 per kg, cauliflower from Rs45 per kg to Rs60 per kg, and cabbage price from Rs35 per kg to Rs55 per kg.

It was observed during the survey that there is a serious difference between the market prices and the price list issued by the Deputy Commissioner (DC), Islamabad and Rawalpindi offices. The DC lists have mentioned tomatoes price at Rs37 per kg, while in the market it is being sold at Rs50 per kg. The DC has fixed potatoes price at Rs48 per kg, while in the market, it is being sold at Rs55 per kg. The DC fixed price for ginger is Rs282 per kg, while in the market it is being sold at Rs330 per kg. Same is the situation with the prices of the other vegetables, fruits, and eggs.

A comparison of the prevailing market prices and the prices computed by the PBS, revealed some serious differences as the PBS has mentioned 11.8kg LPG cylinder price at Rs 2,400.65 but in retail, it is being sold at Rs 2,550 per cylinder. The PBS mentioned sugar price at Rs92.74 per kg, while in market on average sugar is available at Rs95per kg. The PBS mentioned Dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs 2,058.23per 5kg tin, while in the market is being sold Rs 2,100 per 5kg tin. The PBS mentioned wheat flour price of Rs 1,167.96per 20kg bag but in the market it is available at over Rs 1,400 per 20kg bag.

Fresh milk price at Rs114.84 per kg, while in the market it is being sold at Rs140 per kg, cooked daal plate at average hotel is available at Rs140 per plate against the PBS mentioned price of Rs83.37 per plate. Mutton in rural areas of Rawalpindi/Islamabad is available at Rs 1,350 per kg, while the PBS has mentioned it at Rs 1,165.43 per kg, while in urban areas of the twin cities mutton is being sold at Rs 1,400 per kg. The PBS has mentioned beef with bones price at Rs576.65, while it is being sold in the range of Rs650-700 per kg, while boneless beef is available at Rs800 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022