Prices of essential kitchen items especially perishable items kept witnessing an increasing trend during this week past as compared to previous week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday. The survey observed onion price went down from Rs 325 per 5kg to 300 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 70-80 per kg against Rs 80-90 per kg in retail market, tomatoe price went up from Rs 160 to Rs 220 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 50-60 per kg against Rs 45 per kg and potatoes' price went up from Rs 180 per 5 kg to Rs 200 per 5 kg which were being sold at Rs 50 per kg against Rs 45 per kg.
Garlic price went up from Rs 950 per 5 kg to Rs 1,200 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 320 per kg against Rs 280 per kg and ginger price went up from Rs 1,650 per 5kg to Rs 1,750 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 400 per kg against Rs 390 per kg. Lemon price remained stable at Rs 550 per 5 kg which in retail was being sold at Rs 140 per kg. Maroo kaddu price further went up from Rs 200 per 5 kg to Rs 300 per 5 kg which in retail was being sold at Rs 75-80 per kg against Rs 55 per kg, radish price remained stable at Rs 220 per 5 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 60 per kg, Chinese carrot price went up from Rs 250 per 5 kg to Rs 300 per 5 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 60 per kg. It was further observed that not a single item was available at government fixed price in any part of the Islamabad/Rawalpindi even nearby the Islamabad Market Committee head office. Traders said that the Islamabad district management is fixing vegetable and fruits prices much lower from the market prices. They said that peas were available at Rs 1,000 per 5 kg in wholesales market while the government fixed price is Rs 195 per kg which is at par with the wholesale price and therefore no trader can sell the commodity at government price.
Traders further stated that they are facing serious economic problems due to Computerized Nation Identity Card (CNIC) condition for the purchase of up to Rs 50,000 goods, saying that the companies are misusing the CNIC copies provided by traders. They said that their sales as a result of the government's tax measures have significantly reduced.
Bean price went up from Rs 425 per 5 kg to Rs 450 per 5 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 110 per kg against Rs 95-105 per, tinda price went up from Rs 300 per 5 kg to Rs 350 per 5 kg which in retail was being sold at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 75-80 per kg; and brinjal price went up from Rs 150 per 5kg to Rs 250 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 45 per kg. Turnip price went down from Rs 270 per 5 kg to Rs 200 per 5 kg which in retail was being sold at Rs 55-60 per kg against Rs 65-70 per kg, yam price went up from Rs 375 per 5 kg to Rs 400 per 5 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 85 per kg.
Capsicum price went up from Rs 380 per 5 kg to Rs 450 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 120 per kg against Rs 100 per kg; cucumber price remained stable at Rs 150 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 45 per kg; cauliflower price went up from Rs 275 per 5 kg to Rs 300 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 80 per kg against Rs 75 per kg; and cabbage price went up from Rs 100 per 5 kg to Rs 120 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 35 per kg against Rs 30 per kg. Prices of various qualities of pumpkin went up from Rs 200-225 per 5 kg to Rs 220-250 per 5 kg which were being sold in the range of Rs 55-60 per kg against Rs 50-55 per kg; okra price went down from Rs 300 per 5kg to Rs 260 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 65 per kg against Rs 75 per kg; and karela price went up from Rs 350 to Rs 400 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 85 per kg.
Egg price went down from Rs 95 per dozen to Rs 88 per dozen which in retail market was being sold at Rs 96-100 per dozen against Rs 105 per dozen, chicken price went down from Rs 6,400 per 40 kg to Rs 6,000 per 40 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 170 per kg against Rs 190 per kg while chicken meat was being sold at Rs 270 per kg against Rs 320 per kg.
Fruit prices also remained on high side during the week as Gaja apple was available at Rs 110 per kg, and Murree, Swat, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan apples were available in the range of Rs 75-150 per kg, good quality local banana was being sold at Rs 90 per dozen against Rs 70 per dozen while normal quality banana was being sold in the range of Rs 55-65 per dozen against Rs 45-60 per dozen. Various brands of mangoes were being sold in the range of Rs 75 per kg to Rs 150 per kg and various qualities of peaches were available in the range of Rs 90-150 per kg, pear was being sold at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 75 per kg and grapes were being sold in the range of Rs 100-200 per kg.