ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items including vegetables and fruits have witnessed an 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 an increase in the prices of majority of vegetables as potato price went up from Rs175 per 5kg to Rs190 per 5kg, which in retail are still being sold at Rs45 per kg against Rs40 per kg, onions price witnessed an increase of Rs75 per 5kg, going up from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs275 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs65 per kg against Rs50 per kg and tomato price significantly went up from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs750 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs160-180 per kg against Rs80-85 per kg.

Pea’s price remained stable at Rs375 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs90 per kg. Chinese garlic price went up from Rs325 per kg to Rs375per kg and ginger price went up from Rs200 per kg to Rs225 per kg. Okra price went up from Rs240 per kg to Rs260 per kg, bitter gourd price went down from Rs185 per kg to Rs165 per kg, carrot price is stable at Rs50 per kg, pumpkin went up from Rs110 per kg to Rs120 per kg, cauliflower price went up from Rs50 per kg to Rs60 per kg, cabbage price went up from Rs45-50 per kg to Rs60 per kg, brinjal remained stable at Rs65 per kg and, yam price went up from Rs85 per kg to Rs95 per kg, fresh bean price went up from Rs120 per kg to Rs140 per kg, marookadu price jumped from Rs35 per kg to Rs45 per kg, and tinda price went up from Rs40 per kg to Rs60 per kg.

The survey observed during the week prices of the non-perishable items witnessed a mixed trend. Moreover, with the arrival of holy month of Ramadan, the Ramadan-specific items such as dates, traditional juices, drinks, and basin prices have also gone up.

Ghee-cooking oil prices were increased just two weeks prior to the Ramadan and gone out of reach of the common person as best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda, Sufi, and others’ price touched almost Rs500 per kg mark, while B-grade brands’ price has also crossed Rs375 per litre mark. B-grade cooking oil price has gone up from Rs375 per pack to Rs380 per pack of 900 grams. The traders told this correspondent that within past three years, the prices of the best quality ghee/cooking oil such as Dalda, Sufi, and Shan have witnessed an increase of Rs280 per kg as it went up from Rs200 per kg to Rs480 per kg, B-grade cooking oil/ghee price have been increased from Rs120 per pack to Rs375 per pack reflecting an increase of Rs255 per pack of 900 grams, while the price of mustard oil has been increased by Rs275 per kg from Rs200 per kg to Rs475 per kg.

Within past three years, mutton price has jumped from Rs800 per kg to Rs 1,450 per kg, while boneless beef price from Rs500 per kg to Rs850 per kg and beef with bone from Rs400 per kg to Rs650 per kg.

Chicken prices during this week remained stable at Rs 11,000 per 40kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs290 per kg and chicken meat is available in the range of Rs450-480 per kg. Eggs prices went further up from Rs3,750 per carton to Rs3,850 per carton, which in retail are being sold at Rs140 per dozen against Rs135 per dozen.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price witnessed an increase of Rs195 per 15kg domestic cylinder from Rs 3,100 per cylinder of 15kg to Rs 3,295 per cylinder, while in retail LPG price has jumped from Rs235 per kg against Rs245 per kg. In wholesale market, sugar price remained stable at Rs 4,200 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs90-95 per kg.

However, during the week under review, wheat flour price has witnessed no changes as best quality wheat flour price in the wholesale market is available at Rs 1,045 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being traded in the range of Rs 1,075-1,090 per bag and normal quality wheat flour bag of 15kg is available at Rs 1,010 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 1,040 per bag. No changes were observed in the prices of various brands of pack 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 chillis price is stable at Rs465 per kg and powder turmeric prices at Rs400 per kg.

Price of Ramadan-specific items were increased two weeks ago as basin price increased from Rs150 per kg to Rs200 per kg, good quality dates price went up from Rs250 per kg to Rs300 per kg, Jame Shireen jumbo size bottle is being sold at Rs380 per bottle and normal size bottle at Rs290.

Fresh milk as well as packed milk prices which have been increased a couple of weeks ago during this week remained stable as one litre pack of Olpers, Milk Pak and other brands is available at Rs170 per pack. While Milk creams such as Olpersand Milk Pak prices already have witnessed an increase of Rs5 per pack from Rs135 per pack to Rs140 per pack.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022