ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items have witnessed a mixed trend during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.

The survey noted future reduction in wheat flour price, as the best quality wheat flour price in the wholesale market went down from Rs1,590 per 15kg bag to Rs1,520, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,550 per bag against Rs1,620 per 15kg bag, normal quality wheat flour bag price went down from Rs1,570 to Rs1,500 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs1,530 per bag against Rs1,570.

Over the past two months, the wheat flour price has witnessed a reduction of Rs750 per bag or almost Rs50 per kg, while according to traders the commodity price is likely to further go down and may stable around Rs1,500 per 15kg bag. Following a reduction in wheat flour prices, roti price has reduced by Rs5 to Rs20 from Rs25, naan price from Rs30 to Rs25, paratha price by Rs10 from Rs60 to Rs50, and a cup of tea at Rs80.

The survey observed no changes in sugar price as the commodity is 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 down from Rs17,000 to Rs16,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs420 per kg against Rs450 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs650 per kg against Rs700 per kg; egg price went up from Rs6,500 to Rs6,700 per carton, which in retail are being sold at Rs250 per dozen against Rs240 per dozen.

Mutton and beef prices remained stable as mutton is available at Rs2,000 per kg, boneless beef at Rs1,200 per kg, and normal beef at Rs1,000 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 chili and turmeric prices witnessed a reduction as turmeric powder is being sold at Rs700 per kg against Rs850 per kg and red chilli powder from Rs800 per kg to Rs650 per kg.

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) prices witnessed a reduction as the commodity’s official price went down from Rs250 to Rs240 per kg while in market LPG is being sold at Rs300 per kg, which is Rs60 per kg higher than the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority’s (OGRA) set price of Rs240 per kg.

The OGRA has set 15kg domestic cylinder LPG price at Rs3,600, while in various parts of the country it is available at Rs5,000-5,200 per 15kg cylinder, reflecting an overcharging of Rs1,400-1,600 per cylinder.

The prices of the branded spices such as Shan, National, and others witnessed no changes as a pack of 39 grams spice is available at Rs130. The price of a cooked daal plate at a normal hotel is Rs250 and a cooked vegetable plate is Rs250.

Rice prices also remained steady as the best quality basmati rice is available at Rs12,100 per 40kg bag, while the retailers are selling it at Rs340 per kg, normal quality Basmati rice is available at Rs10,100 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold a Rs260 per kg, and broken Basmati rice is available at Rs8,800 against Rs9,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs240 per kg.

Ghee-cooking oil prices witnessed no changes as B-grade ghee/oil is available at Rs5,400 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs360-370 per pack against Rs375-390 per pack, while best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda ghee are available at Rs2,450 per 5kg tin and cooking oil at Rs2,480 per 5-litre bottle.

Pulses’ prices remained steady as best quality maash is available at Rs500 per kg, gram pulse at Rs220 per kg, whole gram pulse at Rs320 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs360-560 per kg, moong at Rs250 per kg, and masoor at Rs280 per kg.

No changes in packed milk prices were recorded as small pack of Milk Pak is available at Rs75 per pack. Fresh milk price remained stable at Rs220 per kg and yoghurt price at Rs250 per kg.

Detergents and bathing soaps prices remained stable as Safeguard family size pack is available Rs180, Lux at Rs130 per pack; and Ariel Surf at Rs670 per kg pack.

Overall, vegetables prices witnessed a mixed trend. Local ginger price remained stable at Rs2,700 in wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs600-650 per kg, while Chinese ginger price went down from Rs3,000 per 5kg to Rs2,600 per 5kg which is being sold at Rs560-600 against Rs630-670 per kg, local garlic price went up from1,200 to Rs1,400 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs320-360 per kg against Rs270-300 per kg, and Quetta garlic price went down from Rs3,200 to Rs2,650 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is available in the range of Rs560-650 against Rs660-725 per kg.

Potato prices went up from Rs200-350 to Rs230-400 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs60-100 per kg against Rs50-90 per kg, tomato prices went up from Rs700 to Rs850 per basket in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-100 per kg against Rs50-80 per kg, and onion prices went up from Rs400-600 to Rs450-750 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs110-180 per kg against Rs100-170 per kg.

Capsicum price went up from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs500 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs120-140 per kg against Rs80-100, various varieties of pumpkin are available in the range of Rs450-650 per 5kg against Rs400-450 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs110-160 per kg against Rs100-110 per kg; various types of tinda prices went up from Rs300-450 to Rs400-550 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-145 per kg against Rs70-125 per kg; eggplant price remained stable at Rs500 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs120-140 per kg; cauliflower price went up from Rs600 to Rs650 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs150-160 per kg against Rs145-150 per kg, and cabbage price went down from Rs250 to Rs180 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs45-50 per kg against Rs55-60 per kg.

Bitter gourd price is stable at Rs450-500 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs110-125 per kg, green chilli price went down from Rs150 per kg to Rs100 per kg, lemon price went down from Rs600-700 to Rs500-550 per kg and cucumber price went down from Rs275 to Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs60-70 per kg against Rs65-75 per kg.

Radish price went up from Rs230 to Rs250 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs60-65 per kg against Rs55-60 per kg; turnip price went down from Rs300-350 to Rs280-325 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-80 per kg against Rs80-90, peas price is stable at Rs800-1,000 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs200-225 per kg and fresh bean price went up from Rs680 per 5kg to Rs725 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs170-190 per kg against Rs165-170 per kg.

Fruit prices witnessed a mixed trend as the best quality Iranian Kala Killo apple is available at Rs350 per kg against Rs370 per kg and normal at Rs270 per kg against Rs300 per kg, Pakistani Kala Killo apple are available in the range of Rs200-300 per kg, Golden apples are available in the range of Rs180-240 per kg against Rs170-220 per kg, white apples are available in the range of Rs120-220 per kg against Rs120-190 per kg.

Bananas’ are available in the range of Rs70-220 per dozen against Rs80-210 per dozen, guava in the range of Rs70-180 per kg to Rs80-160 per kg; various varieties of melons are available in the range of Rs55-90 per kg against Rs50-110 per kg. Strawberries are being sold in the range of Rs140-200 per kg against Rs80-160 per kg.

Various people talking to this correspondent have said that due to consistent ineffective monitoring by commissioners, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Assistant Commissioners (ACs), the special price control magistrates, and other relevant departments over the years, the consumers were at 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, saying one vendor was selling onions at Rs150 per kg while another was selling same quality onions at Rs180 per kg, mutton on some shops was available at Rs2,000 per kg and same quality of mutton was being sold at Rs2,200 per kg, wheat flour was available at Rs1,700 per 15kg bag on one shop and another shopkeeper was selling same quality of the commodity at Rs1,750. They urged the government to strictly enforce official price list daily and weekly is prepared in consultation with the respective traders unions and punish the violators.

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