Prices of most of the essential kitchen items, especially non-perishable item, witnessed yet another increase during this week past as compared to previous week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.

The survey observed prices of ghee/cooking oil, rice, tea pulses, wheat flour, chilli, turmeric, salt powder and others have gone up. Moreover during the week prices of tomatoes, garlic, yogurt, fresh milk, cheese, butter and other dairy products also went up.

The price of Lipton Yellow Label 200 grams pack went up from Rs 210 to Rs 230, butter price went up from Rs 100 per small pack to Rs 125 per pack and cheese price went up from Rs 280 per slice to Rs 320 per slice.

The price of fine quality Mash pulse further increased from Rs 220 per kg to Rs 230 per kg, Moong pulse price remained stable at Rs 200 per kg and fine quality Lobia was available at Rs 200 per kg. Similarly good quality ghee/cooking oil prices went up from Rs 1,080 per 5 kg/liter tin to Rs 1,130 per 5 kg/liter tin while good quality ghee/cooking oil per kg/liter price went up from Rs 220 per liter to Rs 230 per liter. Good quality chilli powder price went up from Rs 12,000 per 40 kg to Rs 15,000 per 40 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 400 per kg against Rs 350 per kg and good quality turmeric powder price went up from Rs 7,000 per 40kg to Rs 9,000 per 40 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 300 per kg against Rs 275 per kg. Fine quality Basmati rice was available at Rs 175 per kg against Rs 160 per kg, normal at Rs 100 per kg against Rs 90 per kg, and Irri-6 rice at Rs 90 per kg.

Tomatoes prices increased from Rs 1000 per 5kg mark Rs 1250 per 5kg which in retail was being sold at Rs 280-300 per kg against Rs 250-280 per kg, onions price went down from Rs 450 per 5kg to Rs 400 per 5kg which in retail were being sold at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 100 per and potatoes' price went down from Rs 275 per 5kg to Rs 225 per 5kg which were being sold at Rs 50-55 per kg against Rs 65 per kg.

However during the week under review sugar price has witnessed a reduction from Rs 3,550 per 50kg bag to Rs 3,400 per 50kg bag which in retail market was being sold at Rs 72 per kg against Rs 78 per kg.

Garlic price increased from Rs 950 per 5kg to Rs 1,100 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 320 per kg against Rs 280 per kg and Chinese garlic in wholesales market was being sold at Rs 1,250 per 5kg against Rs 1,150 per 5kg which in retail market was available at Rs 340 per kg against Rs 320 per kg. Ginger price went down from Rs 1,450 per 5 kg to Rs 1,250 per 5 kg which was being sold at Rs 350 per kg against Rs 370 per kg.

People from different segments of society talking to this correspondent said that it has become impossible for a common household to make both ends meet. They said that a person with monthly income up to Rs 20,000 or daily earnings of Rs 500-700 could not make three-time meals for a household of five persons let aside considering education and health spending. They said that making a normal dish of brinjal or turnips, which a year ago was costing Rs 150 for a normal family, now costs Rs 350.

According to consumers and vegetable retailers, for making three-time meals for a normal family, 250 grams tomatoes cost Rs 70, 125 gram ginger costs Rs 35, 125 grams garlic costs Rs 40, and other indigents including ghee/cooking oil, turmeric, salt, chillis, onions and fuel also cost at least Rs 200.

Egg price went down from Rs 113 per dozen to Rs 106 per dozen which in the retail market was being sold at Rs 115 per dozen against Rs 125 per kg, chicken price went further down from Rs 5,650 per 40kg to Rs 5,300 per 40kg which in the retail market was being sold Rs 145 per kg against Rs 155 per kg while chicken meat was being sold at Rs 230 per kg against Rs 250 per kg.

However, during the week most of the vegetable prices witnessed a decline as pumpkin prices went further down from 200-250 per 5kg to Rs 175-225 per 5kg which were being sold in the range of Rs 45-50 per kg against Rs 50-60 per kg, and yam price remained stable at Rs 400 per 5kg which in the retail market was being sold at Rs 100 per kg. Okra price went down from Rs 400 per 5kg to Rs 300 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 80 per kg against Rs 100 per kg and bitter gourd price went down from Rs 350 per 5kg to Rs 250 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 65-70 per kg against Rs 80-90 per kg and cabbage price went down from Rs 225 per 5kg to Rs 200 per 5kg which was being sold at Rs 55 per kg against Rs 60 per kg and cauliflower price went down from Rs 250 per 5 kg to Rs 175 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 45-50 per kg against Rs 65 per kg.

Peas price went further down from Rs 550 per 5kg to Rs 350 per 5kg which in retail market were being sold at Rs 75-80 per kg against Rs 130 per kg, beans price went down from Rs 400 per 5 kg to Rs 300 per 5 kg which in the retail market were being sold at Rs 75 per kg against Rs 100 per kg, various qualities of tinda prices went down from Rs 275-440 per 5kg to Rs 150-250 per 5kg which in the retail market were being sold in the range of Rs 45-65 per kg against Rs 60-110 per kg; and turnip price went down from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 150 per 5kg which in the retail market was being sold at Rs 40 per kg against Rs 60 per kg.

Overall fruit prices witnessed a declining trend as golden apple price remained stable at Rs 120 per kg, Gaja apple was available at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 120 per kg, white apple in the range at Rs 80 per kg against Rs 90 per kg, Pakistani Kala Kolo apple at Rs 130 per kg against Rs 150 per kg and Iranian Kala Kolo apple at Rs 135 per kg against Rs 150 per kg. Good quality local banana was being sold at Rs 70 per dozen against Rs 80 per dozen while normal quality banana was being sold in the range of Rs 40-55 dozen, and guava was available at Rs 90 per kg against Rs 120 per kg.

Various brands of oranges were being sold in the range of Rs90-100 per dozen against Rs 110-140 per dozen, grapes were being sold in the range of Rs 100-180 per kg, pomegranates were being sold in the range of Rs 100-200 per kg against 130-250 per kg.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019