PESHAWAR: Prices of essential food commodities are becoming dearer as inflation continues to soar unabated ahead of the holy month of Ramzan.

With a week left before the commencement of the holy month of Ramzan, buying food items for inflation-hit people is becoming difficult.

According to a weekly survey in the local market conducted by Business Recorder on Sunday, it was witnessed that the prices of almost all food items have jumped in the wholesale and retail markets in Peshawar.

It was noted price of high-quality edible oil has jacked up at Rs 680-700/ litre from Rs580/ litre and ghee at Rs 620-650/kg from Rs550/kg and other varieties ghee /cooking oil were also available at exorbitant rates in the retail market.

Similarly, the survey witnessed sugar price has increased at Rs110/kg from Rs96-98/kg in the open market.

Likewise, an increase of Rs10-20/kilogram in prices of pulses/ food grains was registered in the local market.

Further increase in the price of black tea is being witnessed, rising up at Rs1800/kg from Rs1650-1700/kg in the previous week, whereas price of green tea, Kenyan tea and others also slightly increased, the survey said.

The survey added the further increase from Rs10 to Rs20 per kg/litre increase in price of dry-milk, packed milk and baby milk also witnessed in the open market.

The survey noticed prices of fresh milk remained unchanged as it was available at Rs200/litre, while yogurt was being sold at Rs 200-180/kg and Rs160/kg in the local market.

Prices of live chicken/ meat witnessed a downward trend as the commodity was available at Rs415/kg against the price of Rs451/kg in the previous week, while price of farm eggs also decreased in the local market, as they were available at Rs240/dozen against the price of Rs300/dozen.

However, butchers were seen openly defying the official rates in the local market. The consumers complained that authorities failed to control rising prices. One-kilogram boneless meat was being sold at Rs800 and beef with bone at Rs700/kg while mutton was available at Rs 1800-2000/kg.

According to the survey, a nominal increase in flour prices was witnessed in wholesale and retail markets. A bag of 80-kg flour was available at Rs11,500 against the price of 80-kg bag Rs11,000 in the previous week.

However, the price of a 20-kg fine flour bag was also increased to Rs2600-Rs2650 from Rs2400-2500 from Rs2300/- while red-coloured flour was being sold at Rs2000-2100/- per 20 kg. Flour is being sold at Rs120-130 per kilo in the retail market, the survey noted.

The prices of pulses/ food grains touched a new peak in the local market. A good quality (sela) rice price increased to Rs340/kg from Rs320/kg, while low –quality rice was available at Rs300/kg against price of Rs280/ kg, while tota (broken) rice was available at Rs150/kg.

Similarly, price of dal mash increased to Rs420/kg from Rs400/kg, dal masoor to Rs320 from to Rs280/kg, dal chilka (black) to Rs280/kg from Rs260/kg, dal chilka (green) from Rs220/kg to Rs240/kg, moonge from Rs230/kg to Rs240/kg, dhoti dal from Rs24/kg to Rs280/kg. However, dal channa was available at Rs280/- per kg, rate of white lobiya increased from Rs220/kg to Rs240/kg, gram flour (baisen) from Rs260/kg to Rs280/kg, red bean to Rs300/kg, big-size white channa from Rs350/kg to Rs38o /kg, small-size white channa from Rs250/kg to Rs280/kg, the survey noted.

Rates of vegetables were sky-high in the local market as onion was being sold at Rs250/kg, while ginger was available at Rs420/kg and garlic at Rs400/kg in the retail market.

However, the price of tomato was reasonable asit was available at Rs50-60 per kg. Cucumber was being sold at Rs40/- per kilo, while green chili was available at Rs 150-180/- per kilo whereas a one-kilogramme lemon priced at Rs 120-150/- and a bundle of radish available at Rs 100-120/-, the survey noted.

However, peas were being sold at Rs80-100./- per kg, capsicum at Rs150/- per kg, tinda at Rs80/- per kg, arvi at Rs150/- per kg, cabbage at Rs80/- per kg, cauliflower at Rs60/- per kg, bitter gourd at Rs120/- per kg, long gourd at Rs80/- per kg, bringle at Rs60/- per kg, turnip at Rs 80-100/- per kg, red-coloured potatoes available at Rs50-60/- per kg while white-coloured potatoes were sold at Rs40/- per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023