Prices of essential kitchen items, excluding some vegetables, have witnessed yet another increasing trend during this week past against the preceding week, a survey conducted by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.

The survey observed that during the week, prices of wheat flour, refined sugar, entire range of pulses,

liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and other essential kitchen items witnessed a further increase.

The survey observed that after over six months, prices of some of the vegetables including tomatoes, onions, potatoes, garlic, ginger decreased while fruit prices witnessed a declining trend.

Fine wheat flour price went up from Rs 760 per 15kg bag to Rs 860 per 15kg bag, prices of all the major pulses have witnessed a fresh increase as fine quality white lentil (Maash) touched Rs 250 per kg from Rs 240 per kg while normal quality lentil price reached Rs 220 per kg from Rs 200 per kg, fine quality grams pulse was being sold at Rs 200 per kg and normal quality grams at Rs 180 per kg against Rs 170 per kg, kidney bean (Lobia) was being sold at Rs 200 per kg against Rs 190 per kg, green gram (Moong) price went up from Rs 200 per kg to Rs 240 per kg and price of red fine quality lentil (Masoor) reached Rs 200 per kg against Rs 180 per kg.

Sugar price went up from Rs 3,550 per 50kg bag to Rs 3,650 per 50kg bag, which in retail market was being sold at Rs 75 per kg against Rs 73 per kg and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices increased from Rs 200 per kg to Rs 225 per kg, making it the highest price during the past 7 years.

No changes were witnessed is ghee/cooking oil prices as normal quality ghee/cooking oil was available at Rs 175 per kg pack, while best quality ghee/cooking oil at Rs 230 per liter.

However, during the week under review eggs price reduced from Rs 135 per dozen in wholesales market to Rs 120 per dozen which in retail market were being sold at Rs 130 per dozen against Rs 145-150 per dozen, while live chicken price remained stable at Rs 5,500 per 40kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 160 per kg and chicken meat was being sold at Rs 280 per kg.

Potatoes price reduced from Rs 220 per 5kg to Rs 180 per 5kg which in retail market were being sold at Rs 50 per kg against Rs 55-60 per kg, onions price reduced from Rs 300 per 5kg to Rs 250 per 5kg which in retail market were being sold at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 70 per kg, and tomatoes price went down from Rs 500 per 5kg to Rs 300 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 80 per kg against Rs 130 per kg.

Various vendors, shopkeepers and consumers while talking to Business Recorder on the issue of ever increasing prices of essential commodities said that Prime Minister Imran Khan instead of fulfilling his promise of reducing prices of essential kitchen items, petrol, gas and others has done otherwise.

They said that the due to government policies, making both the ends meet for the masses has become impossible. Instead of checking demand supply situation, the authorities are punishing poor vendors and shopkeepers on the charges of overcharging while they are getting goods at high prices from wholesales market while district authorities are not visiting wholesales market but are only imposing hefty fines on vendors who hardly manage to earn Rs 1,000 to 1,200 per day.

Rizwan Khan, a shopkeeper, said that only within past one month powder red chilli price has gone up from Rs 11,000 per 40kg to Rs 21,000 per kg in wholesales market while district authorities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad are forcing the shopkeepers and venders to sell the commodity at old price which is impossible for the shopkeepers.

He added that similarly wheat flour and pulses prices are also going up with each passing day, while the authorities are forcing retailers to sell the commodities at old rates.

"If the authorities during raids find selling the commodities at higher rates, they are imposing hefty fines on us, so therefore, we urge the Prime Minister and other senior government officials to stop magistrates and other lower staff from getting extortion from the vendors in the name of overcharging."

Capsicum price went up from Rs 750 per 5kg to Rs 900 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 200 per kg against Rs 180 per kg; yam (arvi) price remained stable at Rs 600 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 140 per kg; carrot price went down from Rs 175 per 5kg to Rs 130 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 35-40 per kg against Rs 45 per kg, radish price remained stable at Rs 120 per 5 kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 30 per kg, and peas price went down from Rs 650 per 5kg to Rs 600 per 5kg in wholesales market which in retail market were being sold at Rs 140 per kg against Rs 150 per kg.

But during the week under review, prices of brinjal, okra, pumpkin, and bitter gourd reached all time high level as brinjal was being sold at Rs 120 per kg, okra at Rs 300 per kg, pumpkin at Rs 180 per kg and bitter gourd at Rs 170 per kg.

All these vegetables are normally available in the range of Rs 50 to Rs 150 per kg.

However, cauliflower price went down from Rs 350 per 5kg to Rs 250 per 5kg which in retail was being sold at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 85 per kg, cabbage price went down from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 180 per 5kg which in retail market was being sold at Rs 50 per kg against Rs 65 per kg and beans price went down from Rs 550 per 5kg to Rs 500 per 5kg which in retail market were being sold at Rs 125 per kg against Rs 140 per kg.

Fruit prices also witnessed a declining trend as white apple price went down from Rs 110 per kg to Rs 100 per kg, Ambri apple price went down from 110 per kg to Rs 100 per kg, Pakistan Kala Kolo apple price remained stable at Rs 130 per kg, Iranian Kala Kolo apple price went down from Rs 140 per kg to Rs 130 per kg and golden apple price went up from Rs 140 per kg to Rs 120 per kg.

Good quality banana price went down from Rs 80 per dozen to Rs 70 per dozen, normal quality banana from Rs 55-65 per dozen to Rs 45-55 per dozen, and good quality guava price reduced

from Rs 80 per kg to Rs 45 per kg.