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

The survey observed chicken price witnessed a reduction as it went down from Rs 12,500 to Rs 11,200 per 40kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs290 per kg against Rs330 per kg, while chicken meat price went down from Rs530 per kg to Rs470 per kg. Eggs price witnessed an increase from Rs 4,600 per carton to Rs 5,000 per carton which in retail are being sold at Rs175 per dozen against Rs160 per dozen.

The best quality wheat flour is being sold at Rs 1,170 per 16kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs 1,200 per kg; and the normal quality wheat flour bag is available at Rs 1,150 per 15 kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs 1,180 per 15 kg bag. The government of Punjab sponsored wheat flour is available at Rs950 per 20kg bag and all the registered retailers are getting 25 wheat-flour bags.

In the wholesale market, sugar price witnessed an increase from Rs 4,200 per 50kg bag to Rs 4,300 per bag which in retail is being sold at Rs90 per kg.

Rice prices witnessed a further increase during this week as best quality Basmati rice price went up from Rs 10,000 to Rs 11,000 per 40kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs280 per kg against Rs250 per kg; normal quality Basmati Rice price went up from Rs 8,000 per bag to Rs 9,000 per 40kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs250 per kg against Rs220 per kg while Broken Basmati rice price went up from Rs 4,500 to Rs 5,500 per 40kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs 170 per kg against Rs 140 per kg.

Prices of best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda, Sufi, and others went further up from Rs520 per kg to Rs550 per kg.

According to ghee-/cooking oil traders, the distributors have intimated them that within the next few weeks the Dalda and other premium-quality ghee/cooking oil prices will be further increased by Rs50 per kg from Rs550 per kg to Rs620 per kg. B-grade ghee/cooking oil price went up from Rs 7,200 per carton of 16 packs to Rs 7,300 per carton which in the market is available at Rs450 per kg.

According to traders within the past three years, the prices of the best quality ghee/cooking oil such as Dalda, Sufi, and Shan have witnessed an increase of Rs350 per kg as it went up from Rs200 per kg to Rs550 per kg; B-grade cooking oil/ghee price increased from Rs120 per pack to Rs405 per pack reflecting an increase of Rs330 per pack of 900 grams, while the price of mustard oil is stable at Rs500 per kg.

Pulses prices also witnessed an increase as best quality whole gram price went up from Rs300 per kg to Rs350 per kg, fine quality mash price went up from Rs280 per kg to Rs300 per kg, best quality lentil price went up from Rs220 per kg to Rs250 per kg, best quality bean lentil price went up from Rs275 per kg to Rs300 per kg, moong from Rs160 per kg to Rs175 per kg, and masoor from Rs220 per kg to Rs250 per kg.

No changes were witnessed in fresh milk prices as fresh milk is being sold at Rs145 per kg and yoghurt at Rs160 per kg. However, the suppliers of packed milk brands such as Nestle, Milk Pak and Olpers have increased the price as one-litre Milk Pak price jumped from Rs170 per pack to Rs180 per pack, quarter liter Milk Pak from Rs45 per pack to Rs50 per pack and the price of a small pack of tea whiteners jumped up from Rs25 per pack to Rs28.

The mutton and beef prices remained unchanged as mutton is available at Rs 1,500 per kg, while boneless beef at Rs900 per kg and beef with bone at Rs700 per kg. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price went down from Rs 3,000 per domestic cylinder of 15kg to Rs 2,850 per 15kg cylinder.

No changes were observed in the prices of various brands of packed spices as a pack of 25gram Shan and National spice is being sold at Rs75-80 per pack but the suppliers in July 2021 had reduced the size of the pack from 43grams to 25grams. Powder chillis price is stable at Rs400 per kg and powder turmeric prices went up from Rs300 per kg to Rs350 per kg.

Last week the suppliers of bathing soap and detergents increased the prices of all the products as family size safeguard bathing soap price went up from Rs85 to Rs90 per pack and detergents such as Ariel half kg pack price went up from Rs200 per pack to Rs220 and kg pack to Rs440 per kg.

The vegetable prices witnessed a mixed trend as tomatoes price went down from Rs300 per 5kg to Rs275 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs60-75 per kg. Potatoes price in the wholesale market went up from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000 per quintal to Rs 2,600-4,200 per quintal which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs30-50 per kg against Rs25-45 per. Onions price remained stable at Rs300-325 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs65-75 per kg. Local garlic price is stable at Rs140 per kg, while Quetta garlic price went up from Rs260 per kg to Rs300 per kg and ginger price is stable at Rs200 per kg. Bitter gourd price is stable at Rs85 per kg, Okra price went down from Rs60 per kg to Rs55 per kg, carrot price went down from Rs60 per kg to Rs55 per kg, pumpkin price is stable at Rs65-70 per kg, cauliflower price went up from Rs70 per kg to Rs75 per kg and cabbage price went up from Rs60 per kg to Rs100 per kg.

Overall fruit prices witnessed an increasing trend as Turkish apple price remained stable at Rs350 per kg, Iranian Kalakilo apple prices went up from Rs280 per kg to Rs320per kg, Pakistan Kalakilo apple price went up from Rs200 per kg to Rs250 per kg, and white apple price went up Rs200 per kg to Rs250 per kg. Best quality banana price went down from Rs220 per dozen to Rs200 per dozen while normal is being sold in the range of Rs80-140 against Rs120-140 per dozen. Watermelons are being sold at Rs35-50 per kg, white and desi melons are being sold at Rs40-50 per kg. Mangoes are being sold in the range of Rs100 to Rs200 per kg and various brands of peach are available in the range of Rs100 to Rs150 per kg.

Traders said that the increase in fuel prices has resulted in increasing the prices of everything as within just seven days a 40 percent increase in petrol and high-speed diesel oil prices the transportation costs have also increased by the same ratio, saying a pickup transporting vegetables and fruits from market to other parts of the Islamabad and Rawalpindi was costing Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000 depending on the distance before the price increase which now costs Rs 1,400 to Rs 2,888.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022