PESHAWAR: Prices of live chicken/ meat, flour and some other essential food items have gone up sharply in the local market, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder on Sunday.
Even though a federal minister, Tariq Bashir Cheema, recently declared that chicken meat is not very healthy, its price has touched a new peak in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, showed the brief survey.
Live chicken is being sold at Rs410 per kilogram in the local market against the price of Rs330 a kilo last week. In fact, there has been an increase of Rs80 per kg in the price of live chicken within the last 10 days.
In the absence of a proper price control mechanism, the price of live chicken has surged by Rs10-12 per day in the last 10 days, according to estimates.
Chicken meat, on the other hand, is being sold for as much as Rs625 per kilogram in the local market. People, therefore, are finding it difficult to buy chicken meat, but the authorities concerned are reluctant to take strict action against poultry dealers and shopkeepers.
Cow meat is being sold at Rs700 per kilogram in the market and the price of mutton has skyrocketed, as it is being sold at Rs1800-2000 per kg.
Flour prices have also touched new peaks in the wholesale and retail markets in Peshawar. The survey revealed that the price of a 20kg bag of fine and danedar flour has increased to between Rs3100 and Rs3300.
It was noted that stocks of flour in the markets on Ashraf and Dalazak roads and in Rampura have been sold out and the consumers are wandering from one shop to another in search of the commodity. Some wholesalers and vendors told this reporter that fresh stocks of flour are expected to reach these markets on Monday (today).
A 20kg bag of fine/ danedar flour is available at Rs3250 in the wholesale market.
And a 20kg bag of special Punjab flour is being sold at Rs3000 in the same market. An 80kg sack of Maida is being sold at Rs13,000 while an 80kg sack of fine/ danedar flour bag is available at Rs13,000 to Rs13,500. The dealers said that supply of flour from Punjab has now been halted completely.
Sugar was available in the retail market at Rs95 per kilo while the prices of cooking oil/ ghee remained unchanged.
Vegetable prices too have remained unchanged in the local market. One kilogram of onion is being sold at Rs220-250. Ginger is priced at Rs400-450 per kilo, garlic at Rs300-400, and tomato at Rs50-60 per kg.
Cucumber is being sold at Rs40 per kilogram, green chilli at Rs150-180, and lemon at Rs120-150 per kg. A bundle of radish is available at Rs100-120.
Peas are selling at Rs120-140 per kg, capsicum at Rs150, tinda at Rs80, arvi at Rs150, cabbage at Rs80, cauliflower at Rs60, bitter gourd at Rs120, long gourd at Rs80, brinjal at Rs60, turnip at Rs80-100, red-coloured potatoes at Rs50-60 and white-coloured potatoes at Rs40 per kilogram.
The prices of pulses/ food grains have also remained stable. Good quality (sela) rice is being sold Rs320-300 per kg while low–quality rice is available at Rs270-290 per kilogram. Daal mash is available at Rs400 per kg, daal masoor at Rs280, daal chilka (black) at Rs260, daal chilka (green) at Rs220, moong at Rs240, dhoti daal at Rs350, daal channa at Rs280, white lobiya at Rs220/240, and gram flour (besan) at Rs400 per kilogram.
Red apple imported from Afghanistan is being sold at Rs250-300 per kilogram, golden-coloured apple at Rs200, pomegranate at Rs200-250, and guava at Rs150 per kg in the local market. Orange is available at Rs150-200 per dozen, fruiter at Rs100-120, kinnow at Rs150-200, and banana at Rs90-100 per dozen, showed the survey.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023