PESHAWAR: Prices of essential food commodities —— including live chicken/ meat, pulses, vegetables, ghee/cooking oil, flour, sugar and beverages —— remain on the higher side in the local market, a survey conducted by Business Recorder on Sunday revealed.
One kilogram of live chicken/ meat is being sold at Rs 265 while a dozen eggs are available at Rs 180-200 in the local market, the survey showed. The milk sellers have increased prices unilaterally as a hike of Rs 5 to Rs 10 per litre/ kg in the price of fresh milk has been noticed.
A slight increase in the price of sugar has been witnessed as the commodity is available at Rs 100-105 per kg. As fuel prices continue to rise, the shopkeepers and vendors are anticipating that the prices of essential food items would further increase in the coming days as opposition leaders have hinted that petrol would soon be sold at Rs 310 per litre.
The survey revealed a sharp increase in the prices of pulses. The price of good quality (sela) rice has gone up to Rs 250 per kg while low–quality rice is available at Rs 180-200 per kg.
Dal mash was available at Rs 320 per kg, dal masoor at Rs 280, dal chilka (black) at Rs 300, dal chilka (green) at Rs 200, moong at Rs 200, dhoti dal at Rs 180, dal channa at Rs 220, and white lobiya at Rs 220-240 per kg.
The survey showed that the price of white (big size) channa was Rs 370-400 per kg, while small-size white channa was available at Rs 280 per kg, and tota rice at Rs 110-120 per kg.
An increase of Rs 10-20 per kg/ litre was witnessed in the prices of ghee/ cooking oil as different brands were available within the range of Rs 350-400 and Rs 500-540 per kg/litre. As per the survey, the prices of vegetables have touched new heights in the open market. Tomatoes are being sold at Rs 60-80 per kilogram, ginger at Rs 450, and garlic at Rs 150-250 per kg.
The price of onion has increased to Rs 80 from Rs 60 per kg, showing an increase of Rs 20 per kg. Cucumber is being sold at Rs 50-60 per kg, green chili at Rs 120-150 per kg, and lemon at Rs 150-200 per kg.
Peas are being sold at Rs 250 per kilogram, capsicum at Rs 120-140, French beans at Rs 200, bitter gourd (Karela) at Rs 100, arvi at Rs 120-140, red-coloured potatoes at Rs 80, white-coloured potatoes at Rs 60, lady finger at Rs 100, tinda at Rs 80, tori at Rs 100, long gourd at Rs 80, brinjal at Rs 60, cabbage at Rs 100, cauliflower at Rs 120 per kg, and spinach at Rs 15-20 per bundle.
Although the prices of sugar and Maida (fine flour) have stabilised, confectionery items are still being sold at high rates as bakers claim the prices of Maida, ghee, and other materials have increased.
Fruit prices, meanwhile, have touched a new peak in the local market, the survey revealed. Bananas are selling at Rs 100-120 per dozen, Iranian apples at Rs 300-400 per kg, apples imported from Afghanistan at Rs 300 per kilogram, and locally produced green-coloured apples (Quetta) at Rs 250 per kg.
Melons are being sold at Rs 60-80 per kg, watermelon at Rs 80, cherry at Rs 400-500, pomegranate at Rs 200-250, green-coloured mango at Rs 150 and others at Rs 200 per kg. Muskmelon is available at Rs 200-300 per piece.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022