ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items and other daily use items have witnessed a further increase during this week past as compared to the preceding week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder here on Saturday.

The survey observed Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices went up from Rs3,000 per 15kg domestic cylinder to Rs3,500 per cylinder which in retail is being sold at Rs235 per kg against Rs220 per kg. In wholesale market, sugar price remained stable at Rs4,200 per bag, which in retail being sold at Rs90-95 per kg.

B-grade cooking oil is being sold at Rs5,800 per carton of 16 packs against Rs5,900 per carton in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs375 per pack against Rs380 per pack of 900 grams.

Normal quality cooking oil such as Phool, Meezan, and such other brands prices witnessed no change as it is available at Rs4,400 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs390 per pack of 900 grams.

The traders further said that the price of the best quality ghee/cooking oil such as Dalda, Sufi, and Shan has been increased by Rs270 per 5 litre pack from Rs2,130 per 5 litre to Rs2,400 per 5 litre while mustard oil price has jumped from Rs450 per kg to Rs475 per kg.

In wholesale market, wheat flour price remained stable as best quality wheat flour is available at Rs1,040 per 15kg bag and normal quality at Rs1,030 per 15kg bag, which in retail are being sold at Rs1,070 and Rs1,050 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. Powder chillies price is stable at Rs465 per kg and powder turmeric prices at Rs400 per kg.

Price of an entire range of detergents and bathing soap have witnessed an increase of Rs5-20 per pack, as Safeguard family pack price has jumped from Rs85 to Rs105 per pack, Lux family pack from Rs85 to Rs95 per pack, Lux medium pack price went up from Rs60 to Rs65 per pack, same is the situation with other brands.

Following Nestle Milk Pak, Olpers has also increased the price of one litre pack from Rs165 per litre pack to Rs170 per pack, while the prices of other packed milk brands such as Dairy Omung remained stable.

While milk creams such as Olpers and Milk Pak prices already have witnessed an increase of Rs5 per pack from Rs135 per pack to Rs140 per pack.

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. Formula milk prices witnessed a significant increase as Lactogen and Nido prices went up from Rs420 per 200gram pack to Rs490 per 200gram pack.

No changes were witnessed in rice prices, as best quality Basmati rice is available at Rs7,600 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs205-210 per kg, while Broken Basmati is available at Rs4,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs125 per kg. Pulses prices witnessed a mix trend as fine quality maash price went up from, Rs10,000 per 40kg bag to Rs10,800 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per kg against Rs280 per kg, best quality lentil went up from Rs8,500 per 40kg to Rs10,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs240 per kg against Rs200 per kg, best quality bean lentil price went down from Rs10,600 per 40kg to Rs10,000 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs280 per kg against Rs300 per kg, masoor price witnessed no change and is being sold at Rs240 per kg, whole gram went down from Rs240 per kg to Rs190 per kg, and moong price is stable at Rs170 per kg.

Chicken prices witnessed an increase of Rs200 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which went up from Rs11,000 per 40kg to Rs11,200 per 40kg, while in retail, chicken is being sold at Rs300 per kg against Rs290 per kg, and chicken meat is available at Rs450 per kg against Rs440 per kg. Eggs prices witnessed a decrease from Rs3,750 per carton to Rs3,500 per carton, which in retail are being sold at Rs130 per dozen against Rs140 per dozen.

Overall vegetables prices witnessed a mixed trend as potato price remained stable at Rs160 per 5kg, which in retail are still being sold at 40 per kg, onions price went up from Rs170 per 5kg to Rs200 per 5kg, which in the retail are being sold at Rs45 per kg against Rs40 per kg, and tomato price went down from Rs400 per 5kg to Rs330 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs75 per kg against Rs90 per kg. Peas price went down from Rs100 per kg to Rs90 per kg, Chinese garlic price remained stable at Rs375per kg, ginger price went up from Rs220 per kg to Rs240 per kg, fresh bean went down from Rs175 per kg to Rs160 per kg, capsicum price went up from Rs145 per kg to Rs160 per kg, carrot price went up from Rs40 per kg to Rs45 per kg , pumpkin went down from Rs80 per kg to Rs65 per kg, cauliflower price went down from Rs80 per kg to Rs70 per kg, and cabbage price went up from Rs65 per kg to Rs70 per kg.

Fruit prices witnessed an increasing trend as Iranian Kalakilo apple price went up from Rs230 per kg to Rs250 per kg, Pakistan Kalakilo apple from Rs200 per kg to Rs220 per kg, golden apple price went up from Rs160 per kg to Rs165 per kg, white apple price went up from Rs120 per kg to Rs140 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022