Prices of vegetable, poultry and other essential kitchen items plummet, except rates of pulses, milk and flour, still remain on high side in the retail market, according to a weekly survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday.
A visit to the local market in the provincial capital, prices of vegetable have been decreased from 70 to 80 per cent, however, rates of all kind of pulses, except rice, remained firm despite fresh arrival of these items. A five-kilogram onion is being sold at Rs 100, which was selling at Rs 150 in the preceding week, while price of tomato also decreased as five-kg available at Rs 200 against Rs 240-250 in the previous week. A five-kilogram potato is available at Rs 80 and Rs 100, which was selling at Rs 120, a five-kg during last week.
Similarly, a one kilogram ginger is available at Rs 100 against Rs 160, while a five-kg garlic being sold at Rs 100, against Rs 160. Cucumber is available at Rs 170, against the Rs 240 during preceding week.
One kilogram of green chili is being sold at Rs 60, which was selling at Rs 120 during the preceding week.
In the market, only Shimla Mirch, lady finger and peas are still available at high rates as Rs 500, Rs 420 and Rs 500, a five-kilogram, respectively. A five-kg Arvi is available at Rs 150 and five-kg cabbage at Rs 80.
Almost, prices of other veggies also registered a decline of 50 to 70 per cent, as a five-kg Kalabash is available at Rs 100, turnip at Rs 70 per five-kilogram, and brinjal at Rs 100 for five-kg. A gaddi of red reddish is available at Rs 15.
Traders in local market said prices of pulses and other food grains have not been declined, because its rates variation dependent on production and yield, rather reduction in petroleum products prices.
According to the survey, there was not witnessed any significant change in prices of food grains, as a bag of 49-kilogram good quality rice, being sold at Rs 4800 to Rs 5200 while low quality 49-Kg per bag of rice available at Rs 4000/- in the wholesale market, without any significant change, during the preceding week.
Similarly, a 49-kg bag of Kabli Moong is available at Rs 6800, Dal Chana at Rs 3500 and Rs 3500, Malka Masoor of 49-Kg bag is being sold at Rs 5800, big Chana selling at Rs 4200, red bean at Rs 4300, Dal mash green at Rs 7000, red mauwa at Rs 7000 to Rs 8000, Dal mash yellow Rs 7000 to Rs 7200, Dotti dal at Rs 7300 to Rs 7600. A 49-kg bag of sugar is being available at Rs 2300.
The survey further noted that prices of various brands of ghee/cooking oil remained steady, as 16-kilogram tin available with range of Rs 1710 to Rs 2380, while prices of cooking oil also firm, as a tin of 16-kilogram is available at Rs 2630, Rs 2300, Rs 2400 and Rs 2680.
The survey noted that prices of all brands and quality of ghee/cooking oil also remained high side, as a tin of 16-kilogram is available at Rs 2400, Rs 2260 and Rs 1700, while a 10-litre gallon of cooking oil is being sold at Rs 1670, five-kg gallon available at Rs 940 and 16-litre high quality cooking oil is being sold at Rs 2170. While the low quality ghee is available at Rs 600, a 20-kilogram flour bag is sold at Rs 710 and Rs 750, while 85-Kg sac is available at Rs 3100 and fine atta sac is being sold at Rs 3500.
Similarly, according to the survey, chicken meat is being sold at Rs 115 against Rs 122 per kilogram, while live chicken available with range of Rs 220, which was selling at Rs 270 and Rs 250 during the preceding week. A dozen of egg is being sold at Rs 80-90 against Rs 100-110 during the preceding week. One litre of fresh milk is being sold at Rs 90, Rs 80 and Rs 70, and yogurt at Rs 90 and 80 per kilogram. Beef is available at Rs 300 per kilogram, while mutton being sold at Rs 600 and Rs 650 per kilogram.
Traders at the retail market of Peshawar viewed the prices of daily usage items would decline further, if the petroleum prices again fall in same pace in coming days. They, however, viewed that prices of almost all kind food grains remained unchanged as rates of these commodities could not be determined with the decline in prices of petroleum products, rather its depend on yield of production. The survey noticed that despite the decrease in prices, vendors are still charging consumers with old rates. Buyers urged the government to take strict action against violators and
consumers blamed shopkeepers and the government for retaining high prices of food items, despite substantial decrease in POL commodities rates. We hope to get relief from the government, but nothing happened like that, say Javed Akbar, who buying cauliflower in the main vegetable market in the city. He asked the authorities to keep strict check on the artificial raise in food commodities and give relief to the poverty stricken masses after the huge decline in prices of petroleum products.