ISLAMABAD: Despite reduction in the petrol prices, the prices of a number of essential kitchen items have witnessed a further increase on Tuesday, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed.
The survey observed Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices went up from Rs3,000 per 15kg domestic cylinder to Rs3,450 per cylinder, which in retail is being sold at Rs235 per kg against previous rate of Rs220 per kg.
In the wholesale market, sugar price witnessed an increase of Rs50 per 50kg bag, which jumped from Rs4,150 to Rs4,200 per bag, while in retail, sugar is being sold at Rs95 per kg.
The rate of B-grade cooking oil witnessed a further increase of Rs50 per carton of 16 packs from Rs5,500 per carton to Rs5,550 per carton in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs365 per pack against previous rate of Rs360 per pack of 900 grams. The prices of normal quality cooking oil such as Phool, Meezan, and other such brands remained stable at Rs1,720 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs360 per pack of 900 grams.
According to traders, various brands of normal quality ghee/ cooking oil are not available in the market as the suppliers wanted to increase the prices by creating an artificial shortage. They further said that the suppliers of best ghee/ cooking oil have intimated them that within a next few days the price of ghee/cooking oil brands like Dalda, Sufi, and Shan is likely to increase from Rs2,130 per 5 litre to Rs2,200 per 5 litre, while the price of mustard oil has already jumped from Rs425 per kg to Rs450 per kg.
In the wholesale market, wheat flour price the other day declined below Rs1,000 mark for the first time in months but Tuesday, special quality wheat flour price jumped from Rs1,000 per 15kg bag to Rs1,020 per bag, and the price of normal quality wheat flour increased from Rs990 per 15kg bag to Rs1,010 per bag, which in retail are being sold at Rs1,050 and Rs1,030, respectively.
No changes were observed in the prices of various brands of packed spices as a pack of 25 gram Shan and National spice is being sold at Rs75-80 per pack but the suppliers have reduced the size of the pack from 43 grams to 25 grams.
Powdered chillies’ price is stable at Rs465 per kg and powder turmeric prices at Rs400 per kg.
Packed milk’s prices witnessed no change as Dairy Omung is available at Rs35 per 200 millilitre pack, Milk Pak and Olpers one litre pack price is stable at Rs165 per pack, 750 millilitre Milk Pak and Olpers price is also stable at Rs130 per pack, 200 millilitre Milk Pack price is stable at Rs45. The rates of milk creams such as Olpers and Milk Pak also remained unchanged at Rs135 per pack.
However, the distributors of various brands of milk told Business Recorder that the suppliers of milk are all set to further increase the one litre milk price from Rs165 to Rs170 in coming days.
Meanwhile, suppliers of fresh milk have increased milk price by Rs5 per kg from Rs140 per kg to Rs145 per kg and yogurt price from Rs150 to Rs160 per kg.
No changes were witnessed in rice prices, as best quality Basmati rice was available at Rs7,600 per 40kg bag, which in retail was being sold at Rs205-210 per kg, while Broken Basmati was available at Rs4,000 per 40kg, which in retail was being sold at Rs125 per kg.
Pulses’ prices witnessed a mix trend as fine quality mash price reduced from Rs12,000 per 40kg to Rs10,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs280 per kg against previous rate of Rs330 per kg. However, the rate of best quality lentil was reduced from Rs10,500 per 40kg to Rs9,500 per 40kg, which in retail was being sold at Rs200 per kg against Rs225 per kg. The best quality bean lentil’s price went down from Rs11,000 per 40kg to Rs10,600 per 40kg, which in retail was being sold at Rs280 per kg against Rs320 per kg. The rate of masoor witnessed no change and was being sold at Rs240 per kg. The price of whole gram went down from Rs240 per kg to Rs190 per kg, and moong price was seen at Rs170 per kg.
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