ISLAMABAD: The prices of the 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 observed sugar price in wholesale market went up from Rs6,300 to Rs6,400 per 50kg bag, while in retail it is being sold at Rs135/140 per kg.
Chicken prices went up from Rs11,500 to Rs11,800 per 40kg in the wholesale market, which is being sold at Rs325 against Rs320 per kg and chicken meat is available at Rs500 per kg. Eggs’ price went up from Rs8,200 to Rs9,700 per carton of 30 dozen which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs330-350 against Rs300 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 chili powder form Rs650 to Rs600 per kg.
Wheat flour prices witnessed no changes as the best quality flour is available at Rs1,355 per 15kg bag in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs1,400 per bag and normal quality wheat flour price remained stable at Rs1,320 per 15kg bag which in retail is being sold at Rs1,350.
Pulses prices went down as in retail market the best quality maash is available at Rs470 against Rs520 per kg, gram pulse at Rs350 against Rs370 per kg, whole gram pulse at Rs330 per kg, various varieties of bean lentils are available in the range of Rs430-530 against Rs450-550 per kg, moong at Rs290 against Rs310 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 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) remained stable at Rs254.30 per kg while in the market LPG is being sold in the range of Rs310-350 per kg, which is Rs56-96 per kg higher than the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA)’s set price of Rs254.30 per kg. 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 overcharging the consumers.
According to LPG traders, the LPG marketing companies are earning 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 no changes as B-grade ghee/oil price is stable at Rs6,900 per carton of 16 packs in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs460 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 whole sales market are stable at Rs2,300 per carton while in retail 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 also remained stable as Ariel Surf, Brite, Express Power and others are available at Rs550 per kg pack. 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 vegetables witnessed a mixed trend as ginger price went down from Rs1,700 to Rs1,400 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs330-370 against Rs430-400 per kg, local garlic price is stable at Rs2,250 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs500-550 450 per kg and China garlic price went down from Rs2,700 to Rs2,500 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs600-650 per kg against Rs630-700.
Potato prices Rs200-400 to Rs180-375 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail are still being sold in the range of RsRs60-110 against; tomato price in wholesale market went up from Rs300-450 to Rs400-500 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-130 against Rs80-120, and onion price is stable at Rs450-600 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs110-160.
Capsicum price went up from Rs300 to Rs350 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs100-110 against Rs90-100 per kg, various varieties of pumpkin prices went down from Rs275-450 to Rs300-375 per 5kg in wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-110 against Rs85-130 per kg; various types of tinda prices went up from Rs100-200 to Rs120-220 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs40-70 per kg; eggplant price went up from Rs120 to Rs200 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs60-70 against Rs50-60 per kg; cauliflower price went down from Rs300 to Rs250 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs65-75 against Rs75-85 per kg and cabbage price went down from Rs200 to Rs150 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50-60 against Rs60-70 per kg. Bitter gourd price went down from Rs500 to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs110-120 against Rs130-140 per kg, green chili price went down from Rs350-400 to Rs250-350 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs90-110 per kg, carrot price went down Rs330 to Rs300 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs80-90 per kg and cucumber price is stable at Rs120 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50-60.
Yam price went up from Rs550 to Rs650 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs150-160 per kg; turnip price went down from Rs125-150 to Rs100-120 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs35-40 against Rs45-50 per kg; peas price is sable at Rs6,00 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs180-200 per kg; and fresh bean price went down from Rs400 to Rs350 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-110 against Rs120-130 per kg, radish price is stable at Rs70 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs30-35 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 Rs80-240 against Rs90-250 per kg; guava price is stable at Rs75-100 per kg. Bananas are available in the range of Rs60-140 against Rs50-130 per dozen; various varieties of oranges are available in the range of Rs90-200 against Rs100-140 per dozen; Persimmon at Rs180-250 per kg. Various varieties of grapes are being sold in the range of Rs200-350 against Rs150-330 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 consists of commissioners, deputy commissioners (DCs), assistant commissioners (ACs), the special price control magistrates, representatives of wholesalers, retailers and general public.
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.
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.
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 per cent 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