Sharp increase was witnessed in the prices of perishable and non perishable food items ahead of Eidul Azha, reveals a survey conducted by Business Recorder on Saturday. Retailers and wholesalers from different markets of the twin cities of Rawalpindi/Islamabad increased prices of all essential kitchen items, including tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic, green chili, rice, vegetable ghee, loose pulses, milk (fresh) and yogurt this week past compared to the preceding week.
During the week under review, tomatoes were being sold at Rs 100 per kg against Rs 85-90 per kg last week price, reflecting an increase of Rs 10-15 per kg, onions were available at Rs 80-85 per kg against Rs 70-75 per kg week past price, reflecting an increase of Rs 10 per kg, potatoes were being sold at Rs 90per kg against Rs 85 per kg last week price, registering an increase of Rs 5 per kg, garlic was available at Rs 170 per kg against Rs 140-150 per kg last week price, reflecting an increase of Rs 20-30 per kg, green chili was being sold at Rs 120 per kg against Rs 80 per kg last week price, registering an increase of Rs 40 per kg, rice Basmati was available at Rs 90-170 per kg against Rs 80-150 per kg, reflecting an increase of Rs 10-20 per kg, vegetable ghee loose was available at Rs 175 per kg against Rs 165- 170 per kg week past price , registering an increase of Rs 5-10 per kg , milk fresh at Rs 100-110 per litre against Rs 80-90 per litre week past price , registering an increase of Rs 20-30 per litre and yogurt was being sold at Rs 115-120 per kg against Rs 100 per kg last week price, reflecting an increase of Rs 15-20 per kg.
Other items that witnessed a rise in prices ahead of the Eid include: different kinds of spices, black piper, red chilies, pulses including pulse gram washed, pulse mash washed, and pulse masoor washed. Significant increased was also noted in some vegetables used in cooking dishes on the festive occasion, including shimla mirch , cucumber , podina and dhania during the week past as compared to the preceding week: shimla mirch was being sold at Rs 100-110 per kg against Rs 80-90 per kg week past price, reflecting an increase of Rs 20-30 per kg, and cucumber at Rs 100 per kg against Rs 70-80 per kg week past price, reflecting an increase of Rs 20-30 per kg. However, prices of other vegetables remain unchanged with pumpkin at Rs 60-65 per kg, okra at Rs 60 and cabbage at Rs 65 per kg,
The survey also noted sharp increase in some fruit prices: different kinds of grapes were sold at Rs 170-250 per kg against Rs 150-170 per kg last week price, reflecting an increase of Rs 20-80 per kg; different qualities of apple were available between Rs 150-250 per kg against Rs 110-230 last week price, reflecting an increase of Rs 20-40 per kg; banana was being sold at Rs 100-180 per dozen against Rs 80-150 per dozen last week price, registering an increase of Rs 20-30 per dozen; and guava was being sold at Rs 85-90 per kg against Rs 80 per kg week past price, registering an increase of Rs 5-10 per kg as compared to the preceding week.
Meanwhile, meat prices remained unchanged the last week compared to the preceding week as mutton was being sold at Rs 640-660 while beef was available at Rs 370-420 per kg. However, slight decrease was witnessed in chicken prices - from Rs 135per kg to Rs 130 per last week as compared to the preceding week. The survey noted that sweets prices soared ahead of the Eid, as mixed sweets were available at Rs 350-400 per kg, gulab jamman was being sold at Rs 450 per kg and different qualities of barfi were available at Rs 450-500 per kg.