Prices of essential kitchen items continued the escalating trend during this week past as compared to previous week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday. The survey observed an increase in prices of chicken, chicken meat, eggs, sugar, onion, ginger and other essential kitchen items for the fourth consecutive week.
Sugar price has further increased from Rs 3,670 per 50kg bag to Rs 3,750 per 50kg bag which in retail market was being sold at Rs 80 per kg against Rs 78 per kg, chicken price increased from Rs 5,600 per 40kg to Rs 7,000 per 40kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 200 per kg against Rs 150-155 per kg, while chicken meat was available at Rs 340 per kg against Rs 230 per kg. Egg price went up from Rs 95 per dozen to Rs 98 per dozen which in retail market was being sold at Rs 110 per dozen against Rs 108 per dozen. Wheat flour price reached Rs 900 per 20kg bag against Rs 870 per 20kg bag.
Traders have attributed the non-stop increase in the essential kitchen items, daily use items and other goods to massive depreciation of Pak rupee against global currencies especially the US dollar, and increase in gas, electricity, petrol and other input costs and as a result, the prices of not only essential commodities are going up but prices of all other household items are also skyrocketing.
At Urdu Bazaar Rawalpindi, this correspondent was informed by the stationary and book traders that prices of school books, pens, bags and other education related materials have witnessed a twofold increase during the last six months. School shoe and socks prices have also gone up in the range of 25-50 percent within past six months as a shoe pair costing Rs 1,200 in March is available at Rs 1,500 and socks pair which was costing Rs 75 is now available at Rs 120 per pair.
No changes were witnessed in the prices of the ghee/cooking oil which witnessed increase during the last three successive weeks and good quality cooking oil/ghee price reached Rs 1,175 per 5 litre from Rs 1,125 per 5 litre and normal quality cooking oil/ghee like Phool price increased from Rs 160 per litre to Rs 170 per litre. Good quality ghee/cooking oil like Dalda was being available at Rs 225 per kg/litre, while price of one kilogram liquefied petroleum gas remained Rs 150.
Prices of all the pulses remained stable during this week past as fine quality white lentil (Maash) was available at Rs 210 per kg while its normal quality was being sold at Rs 170-180 per kg; good quality grams at Rs 210 per kg and normal quality grams at Rs 170 per kg; kidney bean (Lobia) was available in the range of Rs 140-180 per kg; green gram (Moong) at Rs 165 per kg; and red lentil (Masoor) was available at Rs 170 per kg.
Traders told Business Recorder that after a decline in the sales of soft/cold drinks the manufacturers have introduced 1.25 litre pack of Pepsi Cola which is available at Rs 80 per bottle while previously 1.5 litre bottle was available at this price.
Two weeks ago the prices of tea and powdered milk Nido, Everyday, Nestle Bunyad, detergents including Ariel, Brite and Surf Excel, Dettol liquid family pack, raw salt and refined iodized salt, fresh milk and yogurt were increased. Moreover, prices of entire range of packed juices, packed spices, tetra pack milk Olper, Milk Pack and others increased in the last week of July.
Onion price went up from Rs 230 per 5kg to Rs 275 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 55 per kg in retail market, tomatoes price went up from Rs 275 to Rs 500 per 5kg which were being sold at Rs 120 per kg against Rs 70 per kg and potatoes' price remained stable at Rs 150 per 5kg which were being sold at Rs 45 per kg.
Local garlic price went up from Rs 850 per 5kg to Rs 900 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 275 per kg and ginger price went up from Rs 1,300 per 5kg to Rs 1,500 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 350 per kg against Rs 330 per.
Lemon price went down from Rs 550 per 5kg to Rs 500 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 130 per kg against Rs 140 per kg.
Bean price remained stable at Rs 350 per 5kg which in retail was being sold at Rs 85 per kg, Tinda price went down from Rs 325 per 5kg to Rs 250 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 60-65 per kg against Rs 80-85 per kg, peas price went up from Rs 550 to Rs 575 per 5kg which were being sold at Rs 145 per kg against Rs 140 per kg; and brinjal price went down from Rs 300 per 5kg to Rs 200 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 50-55 per kg against Rs 85-90 per kg. Turnip price went up from Rs 200 per 5kg to Rs 220 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 50-55 per kg, yam price went down from Rs 350 per 5kg to Rs 250 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 85 per kg.
Prices of the most of the vegetables during the week under review witnessed a mixed trend.
While fruit prices during week under review witnessed an increase as Gaja apple was available at Rs 100 per kg against Rs 90 per kg, Iranian Kala Kolo apple at Rs 250 per kg against Rs 220 per kg, good quality local banana was being sold at Rs 75 per dozen against Rs 80 per dozen while normal quality banana was being sold in the range of Rs 50-60 per dozen.