ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items especially vegetables, eggs, and fruits have witnessed an increase during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey observed sugar price remained stable at Rs7,000 per 50kg bag in the wholesale market, while in retail, sugar is being sold at Rs150 per kg. Chicken price went further down from Rs16,200 per 40kg to Rs15,200 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs410 per kg against Rs440 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs700 per kg against Rs750 per kg; egg price went up from Rs6,600 per carton to Rs7,300 per carton which in retail are being sold at Rs260 per dozen against Rs248 per dozen. Prices of Ramazan specific items such as basin, traditional drink Jam-e-Shireen, dates, and other items have also went up prior to Ramazan.
Wheat flour price remained unchanged as the best quality wheat flour in the wholesale market is available at Rs2,110 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,150 per 15kg bag, normal quality wheat flour bag is available at Rs2,090 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,120 per bag. Within past one week mutton and beef prices have also gone up as mutton is available at Rs2,000 per kg against Rs1,900 per kg, boneless beef at Rs1,100 per kg against Rs1,000 per kg, and normal beef at Rs900 per kg against Rs800 per kg.
Tea prices witnessed no changes as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,200 per 900 gram pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs1,800 per kg; powdered chilli prices went up from Rs750 per kg to Rs800 per kg, and turmeric powder price is stable at Rs800 per kg. Paratha is available at Rs60, roti at Rs25, naan at Rs30 a piece, and a cup of tea at Rs80.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices witnessed no changes as the commodity is being sold at Rs310 per kg, which still is Rs54 per kg higher than the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA)’s set price of Rs256 per kg. The OGRA has set 15kg domestic cylinder LPG price at Rs3,840, while in various parts of the country it is available at Rs5,000-5,500 per 15kg cylinder, reflecting an overcharging of Rs1,175-1,675 per cylinder.
Branded spices such as National, Shan, and others’ prices have already gone up as Shan masala price has increased by Rs10 per pack from Rs120 per pack to Rs130 per pack of 39 grams, while the other producers have reduced the volume from 43 grams to 39 grams and are all set to follow the line. The price of a cooked daal plate at a normal hotel is Rs250 and a cooked vegetable plate is Rs250.
Rice prices witnessed no changes as the best quality basmati rice is available at Rs12,500 per 40kg bag, while the retailers are selling it at Rs350 per kg, normal quality Basmati rice is available at Rs10,300 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs270 per kg, and broken Basmati rice is available at Rs9,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs250 per kg.
Ghee-cooking oil prices remained stable as B-grade ghee-cooking oil is available at Rs5,500 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs340-360 per 900 gram pack, while best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda ghee are available at Rs2,450 per 5kg tin against Rs2,380 and cooking oil at Rs2,550 per 5-litre bottle.
Pulses’ prices witnessed no changes as best quality maash is available at Rs530 per kg, gram pulse at Rs220 per kg, whole gram pulse at Rs350 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs360-560 per kg, moong at Rs280 per kg, and masoor at Rs300 per kg.
No changes in packed milk prices as small pack of Milk Pak is available at Rs75 per pack and litre pack at Rs270. Suppliers of fresh milk have increased the milk price from Rs200 per kg to Rs220 per kg and yoghurt price from Rs240 per kg to Rs250 per kg.
Detergents and bathing soaps prices have started going up as Safeguard price went up from Rs170 to Rs180; Ariel Surf price went up by Rs20 per kg from Rs650 to Rs670 per kg pack.
Overall, vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend. Ginger price in the wholesale market went up from Rs2,300 to Rs2,500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs530-580 per kg against Rs500-550 per kg, local garlic price went down from Rs3,000 to Rs2,600 in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs530-570 per kg against Rs650-750 per kg, and China garlic price went up from Rs2,500 per 5kg to Rs3,100 in the wholesale market, which in retail is available in the range of Rs640-670 per kg against Rs550-600 per kg.
Potato price witnessed an increase as it went up from Rs160-275 to Rs170-300 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold at Rs45-80 per kg against Rs40-70 per kg, tomato prices went up from Rs1,250 to Rs1,500 per basket in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-170 per kg against Rs75-125, and onion price went up from Rs700-1,000 to Rs1,000-1350 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs225-330 per kg against Rs160-260 per kg.
Capsicum price went up from Rs800 per 5kg to Rs1,200 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs270-290 per kg against Rs200-220 per kg, the prices of various varieties of pumpkin also went up from Rs650-750 per 5kg to Rs600-800 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs135-200 per kg against Rs150-175 per kg; tinda price went down from Rs600 to Rs500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs125-150 per kg against Rs140-160 per kg; eggplant price is stable at Rs600 per kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs140-150 per kg; cauliflower price went up from Rs450 to Rs600, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs140-150 against Rs110-120 per kg, and cabbage price went down from Rs450 per 5kg to Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs90-100 per kg against Rs110-120 per kg. Bitter gourd price went up from Rs1,150-1,250 to Rs1,250-1,450 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs300-350 per kg against Rs280-320 per kg and cucumber price went down from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs300 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs75-80 per kg against Rs80-85 per kg.
Radish price went down from Rs170-200 to Rs100-120 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs25-30 per kg against Rs50-60 per kg; turnip price went down from Rs300-350 per 5kg to Rs170-200 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs50-55 per kg against Rs80-90 per kg, yam price is stable at Rs1,000 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs225-240 per kg, peas price went down from Rs800 to Rs600 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs140-150 per kg against Rs180-200 per kg and fresh bean price went up from Rs900 to Rs950 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs210-230 per kg against Rs200-220 per kg.
Fruit prices also witnessed an increasing trend as the best quality Iranian Kala Killo apple is available at Rs375 per kg against Rs350 per kg, best quality Pakistani Kala Killo apple are available in the range of Rs300-325 per kg against Rs250-350 per kg, Golden apples are available in the range of Rs160-225 per kg against Rs150-200 per kg, white apples are available in the range of Rs150-210 per kg against Rs140-200 per kg. Bananas’ prices witnessed almost 100 per cent increase as normal quality banana price went up from Rs70 to Rs140 per dozen and good quality from Rs190 to Re300 per dozen, guava prices also witnessed two fold increase as normal quality guava price went up from Rs75 to Rs130 per kg and best quality from Rs140 to Rs240 per kg, Gaja apples are available in the range of Rs150-250 per kg against Rs120-200 per kg; various varieties of oranges are available in the range of Rs70-350 per dozen against Rs60-300 per dozen with special kinnow at Rs350 per dozen is the most expensive and normal quality fruiter at Rs70 per dozen, the cheapest; pomegranate are available in the range of Rs350-500 per kg against Rs250-370 per kg; and grapes are available in the range of Rs400-450 per kg against Rs160-350 per kg. New arrival strawberries are being sold in the range of Rs400-550 per kg, and melon at Rs80-200 per kg.
Over the past two weeks, Business Recorder has noted that the special price controlling magistrates who during last six years even occasionally were not monitoring the markets, have now started regularly visiting the major market places as a result overcharging by different vendors is also declining.
Various people talking to this correspondent said that due to ineffective monitoring by commissioners, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Assistant Commissioners (ACs), the special price control magistrates and other relevant departments in past six years, the consumers were on the mercy of the vendors as they were free to charge their own prices of not only vegetables and fruits but of other items too.
However, Business Recorder also observed that there is still a serious difference between the official prices of various items and market prices. It also observed retailers, vendors, and other sellers are not displaying official price list of household items at a prominent place and are not even providing on demand.
According to traders, over the past few years continuous increase in fuel and utilities’ costs significantly contributed to increasing the prices. They attributed around 20 percent increase in the prices of all the items to increase in gas and electricity bills. Traders are also forced to move up their margins to meet ever increasing expenditure from salaries to transportation costs and other miscellaneous expenses.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024