Prices of essential kitchen items, especially of vegetables, witnessed a decline during the past week against the preceding week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday. Tomatoes price which last week reached all time high in wholesales market at Rs 2,400 per box of 15kg have declined by Rs 900 per box to Rs 1,500, onions price reduced from Rs 6,000 per quintal to Rs 5,500 per quintal and potatoes price reduced from Rs 2,800 per quintal to Rs 2,600 per quintal.
Ginger price reduced from Rs 750 per 5kg to Rs 600 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 150 per kg against Rs 180 per kg and garlic price reduced from Rs 500 per 5kg to Rs 450 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 120 per kg.
According to traders at Rawalpindi/Islamabad wholesales vegetables/fruit markets, the prices of tomatoes, potatoes and onions in coming weeks will further reduce as fresh crops from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochsitan and Sindh will start arriving in the market.
The survey observed that tomatoes price in wholesales market has reduced to Rs 160 per kg against Rs 250 per kg, onion from Rs 80 per kg to Rs 75 per kg and good quality potatoes are being sold at Rs 40 per kg while normal quality potatoes at Rs 35 per kg.
Spinach and mint in wholesales market are being sold at Rs 120 a bundle of 5 packs, which in retail is available at Rs 30 per bundle. Capsicum price has went up from Rs 180 per 5kg to Rs 200 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 50 per kg against Rs 45 per kg, peas price came down from Rs 1,000 per 5kg to Rs 800 per 5kg in wholesales market, which in retail market are being sold at Rs 190 per kg against Rs 200 per kg and taro (arvi) price went up from Rs 100 per 5kg to Rs 120 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 30 per kg, while carrot price went up from Rs 170 per 5kg to Rs 200 per 5kg which in retail market is being sold at Rs 50 per kg.
Chicken prices went up from Rs 4,000 to Rs 4,600 per 40kg which in retail market is being sold at Rs 140 per kg against Rs 120 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs 200 per kg against Rs 185 per kg, and eggs price witnessed a slight reduction from Rs 105 per dozen in wholesales market to Rs 100 per dozen, while in retail market eggs are still being sold at Rs 115-120 per dozen.
During the week under review, prices of some tea brands like Islamabad Tea witnessed an increase from Rs 720 to Rs 790 per kg, gram pulse price increased from Rs 900 per 5kg to Rs 990 per 5kg and wheat flour price reduced from Rs 750 to Rs 740 per 20kg bag in retail while in wholesales market price of wheat flour came down from Rs 730 to Rs 720 per 20kg bag.
Okra price went up from Rs 200 to Rs 220 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 50 per kg; price of ridge gourd (tori) went up from Rs 250 to Rs 350 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 80 against Rs 60 per kg. Cauliflower price went down from Rs 300 to Rs 150-200 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 50-40 per kg against Rs 70 per kg and cabbage price went down from Rs 200 to Rs 130 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 40 against Rs 50 per kg.
Lemon price remained stable at Rs 600 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs 140 per kg, brinjal price remained Rs 150 per 5kg which in retail market is being sold at Rs 40 per kg, and cucumber price further went up from Rs 280 to Rs 300 per 5kg in wholesales market, while in retail it is being sold at Rs 70 per kg.
Apple gourd (tinda) price remained stable at Rs 200 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 55 per kg; pumpkin (kaddu) price went up from Rs 200 to Rs 250 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 50 per kg; gourd pumpkin (loki kaddu) at Rs 300 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 75 per kg; bitter gourd (karela) price went up from Rs 230 to Rs 400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs 90 against Rs 60 per kg.
The prices of all the non-perishable kitchen items including rice, pulses, spices, sugar, tea, wheat flour remained stable during the week under review. Prices of all the major pulses witnessed no change as Maash is being sold at Rs 180 per kg, good quality grams at Rs 190 per kg, Lobia in the range of Rs 120-Rs 140 per kg, Moong at Rs 120 per kg and Masoor at Rs 110 per kg.
Fruit prices remained stable during the week under review as good quality banana is available at Rs 70 per dozen, and normal quality banana at Rs 50-40 per dozen. Best quality guava is available at Rs 70 per kg and normal quality guava at Rs 40 per kg. Normal quality white apple is being sold at Rs 60 per kg, Chinese apple at Rs 200 per kg while New Zeeland apples are being sold at Rs 250 per kg, various qualities of grapes are being sold in the range of Rs 90 per kg to Rs 180 per kg.