Except a slight decline in price of chicken, prices of entire range of essential kitchen items remained on high side during this week past as compared to the preceding week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
Wholesalers and traders in the markets of twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad said prices of vegetables, fruits, ghee, cooking oil, wheat flour, sugar, and a number of spices remained stable during the week past. They said that prices went up a week earlier due to short supply and increased transportation cost. Traders feared further increase in food items while saying that monsoon rains/floods may disrupt the supply in coming days. Price of onion remained stable and it was available at Rs 160-180 per 5kg in the wholesale market which in retail market was being sold at Rs 40-45 per kg. Potato price went up from Rs 170-180 per 5kg to Rs 180-190 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 40-45 per kg. Tomato price further went up from Rs 180 per 5kg to Rs 200 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 45-50 per kg.
Various qualities of garlic were available in the range of Rs 250-400 per 5kg in wholesales market which in retail market were being sold at Rs 70-80 per kg. Ginger price also remained on high side as various qualities of ginger were available in the range of Rs 700-1,000 per 5kg, which in retail market were being sold in the range of Rs 170-225 per kg.
Capsicum was available at around Rs 300-350 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 60-80 per kg; peas at around Rs 400-450 per 5kg which were being sold at Rs 80-90 per kg; taro (arvi) price went down from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 300 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 65 per kg; Chinese carrot prices went up from Rs 100 per 5kg to Rs 140 per 5kg while in retail market it was being sold at Rs 40 per kg against Rs 30 per kg.
Brinjal was being sold at around Rs 200 per 5kg in wholesales market while in retail market it was being sold at Rs 40-50 per kg; while cucumber price went up from Rs 200-250 per 5kg to Rs 300 per 5kg, which in retail market was being sold at Rs 70-80 per kg.
Prices of all the major pulses remained stable as white lentil (Maash) was being sold at Rs 100 per kg, good quality grams at Rs 120 per kg, kidney bean (Lobia) in the range Rs 80-100 per kg, green gram (Moong) at Rs 80 per kg and red lentil (Masoor) was being sold at Rs 100 per kg.
Live chicken price in wholesales market went down from Rs 6,800 per 40kg to Rs 6,500 per 40 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 160-170 per kg against Rs 190 per kg, and chicken meat was being sold Rs 280 per kg against Rs 300 per kg. The eggs prices in wholesale market remained at around Rs 90 per dozen which in retail market were being sold at Rs 100 per dozen without any significant change. Beef was being sold at Rs 500 per kg and mutton at Rs 950 per kg.
Fruit prices remained stable as local good quality banana prices was being sold at Rs 90-100 per dozen, normal quality in the range of Rs 60-80 per dozen and Indian banana was being sold at Rs 170 per dozen. Good quality mangoes were being sold in the range of Rs 100-120 per kg, while normal quality mangoes were available in the range of Rs 70-90 per kg. Normal quality white apple was being sold at Rs 80 per kg, Pakistani Kala Kalu apples at Rs 160 per kg, Iranian Kala Kalu apples were being sold at Rs 170 per kg, golden apple at 110 per kg and Ambari apple was available at Rs 90 per kg. Various qualities of peaches were available at Rs 80-130 per kg and a carton of 11kg grapes was available at Rs 700-800, which in retail market were being sold at Rs 130-150 per kg.