ISLAMABAD: The prices of most of the essential kitchen items which reached record high owing to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led march on federal capital have started declining during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey observed sugar price in wholesale market went up from Rs6,100 to Rs6,300 per 50kg bag, while in retail it is being sold at Rs135/140 per kg. Chicken prices went up from Rs14,200 to Rs12,000 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which is being sold at Rs330 against Rs380 per kg and chicken meat is available at R500 against Rs600 per kg.
Eggs price went up from Rs9,500 to Rs10,000 per carton of 30 dozen which in retail is being sold at Rs350 against Rs330 per dozen. Mutton and beef prices remained stable as normal quality mutton is available at Rs2,100 per kg, normal quality boneless beef at Rs1,250 per kg, and normal beef at Rs1,050.
Tea prices witnessed no changes as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,200 per 900 grams pack and Islamabad Tea is available at Rs1,800 per kg; turmeric powder price went down from Rs800 to Rs750 per kg and red chilli powder form Rs650 to Rs600 per kg. Wheat flour prices witnessed a reduction as the best quality flour is available at Rs1,355 against Rs1,380 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs1,400 against Rs1,430 per bag and normal quality wheat flour price went down from Rs1,350 to Rs1,320 per 15kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs1,350 against Rs1,390 per 15kg bag.
Pulses prices witnessed a decline trend as in retail market the best quality maash is available at Rs520 against Rs580 per kg, gram pulse at Rs370 against Rs380, whole gram pulse at Rs330 against Rs350, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs450-550 against Rs480-530 per kg, moong at Rs310 against Rs330 per kg, and masoor price at Rs300 per kg. The prices of cooked food items remained stable as a cooked daal/vegetable plate at a normal hotel is available at Rs320, cooked beef plate at Rs550, cooked chicken plate at Rs500, cooked mutton at Rs750 and naan/roti is being sold at Rs25/30.
The official price of LPG remained stable at Rs254 per kg while in the market LPG is being sold at Rs310 per kg, which is Rs56 per kg higher than the OGRA’s set price of Rs254 per kg for November. According to LPG traders, the LPG distributors and marketing companies are supplying them the commodity on higher prices as a result retailers are left with no option other than charging inflated rates from the consumers. According to LPG traders, the LPG marketing companies are making billions of rupees profit by overcharging the consumers, while the OGRA and other relevant departments from federal government to provincial governments have totally ignored the enforcement of official commodity rates, which in next three months is likely to reach Rs400 per kg mark.
The prices of branded spices such as Shan, National, and others, witnessed no changes as a pack of 39 grams of spice is available at Rs140. Prices of the various varieties of rice remained stable as the best quality basmati rice in wholesale market is available at Rs11,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300, normal quality Basmati at Rs9,000, which in retail is being sold at Rs270 per kg, and broken Basmati at Rs7,000 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs200.
Ghee/cooking oil prices witnessed a mixed trend as B-grade ghee/oil price went down from Rs7,400 to Rs6,900 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs460 against Rs480 per pack of 900 grams, while best quality cooking oil/ghee brands such as Dalda ghee price is stable at Rs2,450 per 5kg tin and cooking oil at Rs2,500 per 5-litre bottle. Prices of packed milk brands such as Milk Pak and Olpers in wholesales market have witnessed a slight reduction however the retailers as yet have not passed on the benefit to the end consumers as 250ml packed milk is being sold at Rs90 and Rs350 per litre. Fresh milk prices also remained stable at Rs230 per kg and yoghurt at Rs250 per kg. No changes were observed in the prices of powder milk such as Nido and Lactogen as 400gram Nido powder milk is available at Rs1,320 and 200gram pack at Rs700 per pack.
The survey observed no changes in bathing soaps prices as family-size Safeguard and Dettol like soaps are available at Rs150 per pack, family size Lux at Rs140, and detergent prices have witnessed a reduction as Ariel Surf, Brite, Express Power and others are available at Rs550 per kg pack against Rs570. The prices of various brands of cold drinks such as Pepsi, Coke, Miranda and others remained stable as family-size bottle is available at Rs230. Prices of most of the vegetables which during past one week have witnessed significant increase this week started decreasing as ginger price went down from Rs2,500 to Rs1,800 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs450-500 against Rs570-630 per kg, local garlic price went up from Rs1,650 to Rs1,750 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs430-450 against Rs400-425 per kg and Quetta garlic price is stable at Rs2,200 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs575-600 per kg.
Potato prices went down from Rs350-600 to Rs250-500 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are still being sold in the range of RsRs65-120 against Rs80-150 per kg; tomato price in wholesale market went down from Rs400-650 to Rs350-550 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-150 against Rs130-200, and onion price went down from Rs550-700 to Rs400-575 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-150 against Rs140-180 per kg.
Capsicum price went down from Rs1,200 to Rs750 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs180-200 against Rs280-320 per kg, various varieties of pumpkin prices went down from Rs450-600 to Rs250-400 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-120 against Rs120-150, various types of tinda prices went down from Rs350-500 to Rs150-275 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs50-85 against Rs100-170 per kg; eggplant price went down from Rs350 to Rs200 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs60-70 against Rs80-90 per kg; cauliflower price went down from Rs450 to Rs400 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs100-120 against Rs1100-140 per kg and cabbage price went down from Rs450 to Rs230 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs70-80 per kg against Rs120-130 per kg. Bitter gourd price went down from Rs575 to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs110-130 against Rs140-160 per kg, green chilli price went down from Rs600-750 to Rs500-550 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-150 against Rs180-200 per kg, carrot price went down Rs350 to Rs220 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs70-75 against Rs90-100 per kg and cucumber price went down from Rs250 to Rs200 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs65-70.
Yam price went down from Rs650 to Rs500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs130-150 against Rs150-180 per kg; turnip price went down from Rs350-400 to Rs175-200 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs60-70 against Rs90-100 per kg; peas price went down from Rs900 to Rs6,00 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs180-200 against Rs220-255 per kg; okra price is stable at Rs350 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-120, and fresh bean price went down from Rs7,50 to Rs500 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs150-170 against Rs175-190 per kg, ridge gourd price went down from Rs600 to Rs450 per 5kg which in retail are being sold at Rs110-130 per kg against Rs140-160 per kg, radish price went down from Rs200 per 5kg to Rs70 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs30-35 per kg against Rs70 per kg, spinach price went down from Rs200 to Rs80 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs30-40 per kg against Rs50-60 per kg.
Fruit prices witnessed a mixed trend as various types of local apples are available in the range of Rs90-250 per kg guava price went down from Rs90-160 against Rs70-90 per kg. Bananas are available in the range of Rs50-130 per dozen; various varieties of oranges are available in the range of Rs120-140 against Rs90-120 per dozen; Persimmon at Rs180-250 per kg. Various varieties of grapes are being sold in the range of Rs150-330 against Rs280-400 per kg; pomegranates in the range of Rs200-300 per kg.
Business Recorder has noted a significant difference between the wholesale market prices, official prices fixed by market committees which consist of commissioners, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Assistant Commissioners (ACs), the special price control magistrates, representatives of wholesalers, retailers and general public. For instance, DC office has fixed onion price at Rs93-132 per kg (with a profit margin of Rs15 per kg for retailers) while retailers are charging Rs100-150 per kg by making various excuses from some quantity was rotten to high transportation charges to high rents.
Consumers have blamed ineffective monitoring by commissioners, DCs, ACs, the special price control magistrates, and other relevant departments, consumers for artificial price hike. They said one vendor was selling grapes in the range of Rs175-300 per kg and another at Rs250-500 per kg of same quality while the official price is Rs143-300 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 at others; wheat flour was available at Rs1,420 per 15kg bag on one shop and another shopkeeper was selling the same quality of the commodity at Rs1,450. They urged the government to strictly enforce the official price list daily and weekly and prepare it in consultation with the respective traders unions and punish the violators. Business Recorder has observed and repeatedly reported that retailers, vendors, and other sellers are not displaying official price lists of household items at a prominent place and are not even providing on demand, which they are legally bound to provide the consumers and display at a prominent place.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024