PESHAWAR: Prices of essential kitchen items, like live chicken/ meat, fruits, vegetables, cooking oil/ghee, confectionary items, flour, grocery items and others remained high side during the first 10-days of the holy month of Ramadan.
According to a survey conducted by Business Recorder here in the local market, it was revealed that prices are sky-rocketed while shopkeepers despite displaying official price-lists on their outlets were not fully implementing them with letter and spirit.
Buyers asked the district administration to take serious notice of rising prices and ensure availability of food commodities on control whereas the Sasta Bazaar also failed to attract buyers because of lack of required facilities and food items.
Survey noted one kg chicken has gone up at Rs271/- against the price of Rs241/- before the start of the holy month of Ramadan. It was witnessed butchers are openly defying official fixed rates and charged people with exorbitant and self-imposed prices. In the local market, it observed one kg cow meat with bone is being sold at Rs650- and without bone at Rs700/- against the official fixed rate of Rs550/- per kg, whereas price of mutton beef was also surged at Rs1400-1500/- per kg against the price of Rs1200 before the beginning of the holy month of Ramzan.
Fruits, which are staple food, have also completely reached out of the purchasing power of common man, as prices remained sky-high in the first 10-days of the Ramzan. For instance, bananas are selling at Rs120-150/- and Rs180-200/- per dozen, Iranian apples are available at Rs260-300, Afghanistan imported apples are being sold at Rs200-250 per kg, while locally produced green-colored apples are being available at Rs150-200/- per kg.
High quality guava was available at Rs200 per kg, while others are available at Rs100-120 and Rs150/- per kg, melons are being sold within range of Rs100-120/- and Rs150/- per kg, watermelon was being sold at Rs100 per kg, muskmelon at Rs300-400 and Rs500 per piece, strawberry at Rs200-250 per kg, stored orange at Rs300 per dozen stored kinnow at Rs200-250 per dozen, pomegranate at Rs200-300/- per kg.
According to the survey, prices of cooking oil and ghee of different brands and quality remained unchanged in the local market. Confectionery items also remained sky-rocketed as bakers charged self-imposed, citing the prices have increased owing to escalating rates of Maida, ghee, and other confectionery use materials.
A mixed trend in prices of vegetables was witnessed. Price tomato has decreased at Rs120-150 per kg which was selling at Rs200-250 per kg in the previous week. However, peas is being sold at Rs 160-200/- per kg, lemon at Rs 250-300/- per kg, arvi at Rs150/- per kg, bitter gourd (Karela) at Rs 150-200/- per kg, cabbage at Rs100/-, cauliflower at Rs120/- per kg, long gourd at Rs100/- per kg, round gourd at Rs80/- per kg, bringle at Rs60/- per kg, onion at Rs60/- per kg, red-colored at Rs60/- white-colored Rs40/- per kg, turnip at Rs70/- per kg A bundle of reddish at Rs50-80/-, cucumber at Rs50/- per kg. Ginger at Rs300/- per kg while garlic was available at Rs 250-300/- per kg in the local market.
It was noticed a one-kilogram high-quality imported dates was being sold at Rs500-600 per kg while low quality dates were sold within range of Rs250-300 and Rs400/- per kg. Prices of beverages also touched a new peak with the advent of the holy month of Ramzan.
Pack milk prices remained stable as no change was witnessed in the present week as compared to preceding week but prices of different brands of packed and dry milk are very high, according to buyers.
As per the survey, a 20-kg flour bag of various quality and category was being sold at Rs 1300-1350/- and Rs1400/-, while bronze colored flour was available at Rs1200-1250 per 20-kg bag. Despite the fact that the provincial government had announced a hefty Rs2.522 billion subsidy on wheat flour in the holy month of Ramzan.
The survey furthermore noticed one kg sugar is being sold at Rs95-96 against the price of Rs90 per kg in the local market. Prices of packed milk have further surged up as from Rs10-20 per litre has been witnessed in the local market, it added.
Similarly, the price of fresh milk has also increased as high fat milk is being sold at Rs140/- per litre, low fat milk at Rs130/- per litre. However, the prices of flour remained unchanged as a 20-kg bag was sold at Rs 1300-1450/- while an 80-kg flour bag was available at Rs 6400-6500/-.
The survey noticed one-kg good quality rice (sela) was available at Rs180/- while toota rice being sold at Rs 110-120/- per kg. Dal mash priced at Rs 300-320/- per kg, white channa (big size) at Rs200/- while small-size white channa at Rs160/- per kg, dhoti dal at Rs260 per kg, dal channa at Rs200/- per kg, dal chilka (black) at Rs240/- per kg, dal chilka (Green) at Rs200/- per kg, dal masoor at Rs180/- per kg, gram flour (baisen) at Rs120/- per kg, moonge at Rs200/- per kg, it was noted.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022