ISLAMABAD: Following an increase in the petroleum prices, the prices of majority of essential kitchen items have witnessed a further increase during this week past as compared with the last week, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.

The survey observed wheat flour price has witnessed an increase of Rs10 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market from Rs1,130 per bag to Rs1,140 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,180 against Rs1,170 per bag. While the government-sponsored wheat flour bag of 20kg is available Rs1,170 per bag. Powder chillies price went up from Rs520 per kg to Rs550 per kg and powder turmeric prices remained stable at Rs400 per kg.

Prices of an entire range of pulses were increased a week earlier and during this weekend witnessed no changes as fine quality maash is available at Rs330 per kg, best quality lentil at Rs230 per kg, best quality bean lentil at Rs300 per kg, masoor at Rs230 per kg, best quality whole gram at Rs230 per kg and moong at Rs155 per kg.

Suppliers of all the packed milk products have increased the prices of their products as Dairy Omang price has increased from Rs30 per 200 ml pack to Rs35 per pack, Milk Pak and Olpers one litre pack price is increased from Rs160 per pack to Rs165 per pack.

Sugar price in wholesale market witnessed a slight reduction from Rs4,500 per 50kg bag to Rs4,450 per bag but in retail is being sold at Rs100 per kg. Oil prices remained unchanged as B-grade cooking oil brands such as Phool prices is stable at Rs4,550 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per pack of 900 gram, prices of the best quality cooking oil/ghee brands like Dalda price in retail have jumped to Rs2,100 per 5 litre pack from Rs2,060 per pack, Mustard oil price is also stable at Rs425 per kg.

According to wholesalers, the non-stop increase in petrol and high speed diesel oil prices coupled with depreciation of Pak rupee against the US dollar and other leading global currencies are playing a major role in increasing the prices of all the daily use items as increase in fuel prices pushes up the transportation cost, which is also shifted on the end consumers. Traders said that the increase in fuel price had immediate effect on the prices of the vegetables and other edible items as these items are transported on a daily basis.

During the week under review, chicken price witnessed a reduction of Rs250 per 40 kg in the wholesale market, which went down from Rs7,600 per 40kg to Rs7,350 per 40kg, while in retail, chicken is being sold at Rs190 per kg against Rs210 per kg and chicken meat price went down from Rs330 per kg to Rs320 per kg. Eggs prices witnessed a reduction as it went down from Rs5,350 per carton to Rs4,860 per carton, which in retail are being sold at Rs175 per dozen against Rs185 per dozen.

Various brands of rice prices witnessed a further increase during the week under review as best quality Basmati rice price jumped from Rs6,800 per 40kg bag to Rs7,600 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs200 per kg against Rs190 per kg reflecting an increase of Rs25 per kg within past two weeks, while Broken Basmati price has jumped from Rs3,500 per 40kg bag to Rs4,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs120 per kg against Rs100 per kg. Match box price is stable at Rs4 per box.

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 Rs3,400 per cylinder.

Overall vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend as potato price further went down from Rs240 per 5kg to Rs200 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50 per kg against Rs55 per kg, onions price further went up from Rs190 per 5kg to Rs250 per 5kg, which in the retail is available at Rs60 per kg against Rs50 per kg and tomato price went up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs280 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs75 per kg against Rs50 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022