Prices of essential kitchen items especially vegetables continued to witness an increasing trend during this past week as compared to the week before, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.

During the week, prices of a majority of vegetables and fruits went further up.

Price of onions jumped from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 350 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 85 per kg against Rs 60-65 per kg before.

Similarly, potato price went up from Rs 150 per 5kg to Rs 180 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 45 per kg as against Rs 40 per kg previously, tomato prices went down from Rs 200 per 5kg to Rs 150 per 5kg, which in retail market are being sold at Rs 40-45 per kg as against Rs 50-55 per kg previously.

During the week under review, chicken and eggs prices witnessed a reduction as live chicken price went down from Rs 180 per kg to Rs 165 per kg and chicken meat from Rs 300 per kg to Rs 260 per kg. The eggs price in wholesales market came down from Rs 90 per dozen to Rs 84 per dozen, which in retail are being sold at Rs 90-95 per dozen as against Rs 100 per dozen before.

Prices of all the major pulses remained stable as fine quality white lentil (maash) is available at Rs 250 per kg, normal quality lentil at Rs 220 per kg, fine quality grams pulse is being sold at Rs 200 per kg, normal quality grams at Rs 180 per kg, fine quality kidney bean (lobia) is being sold at Rs 200 per kg, green gram (moong) at Rs 240 per kg and red fine quality lentil (masoor) at Rs 200 per kg.

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

Slight reduction in the prices of wheat flour and sugar was observed as price of wheat flour bag of 25kg went down from Rs 1,205 per bag to Rs 1,200 per bag and price of 50kg sugar bag went down from Rs 3,960 to Rs 3,860 per bag.

While no significant changes were observed in the prices of other non-perishable food items including ghee/cooking oil, spices, tea, milk, and others.

Meanwhile, garlic price further went up from Rs 1,450 per 5kg to Rs 1,500 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 410 per kg as against Rs 400 per kg before, and ginger price further went up from Rs 1,750 per 5kg to Rs 1,850 per 5 kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs 475-485 per kg as against Rs 450 per kg previously.

Moreover, capsicum price went down from Rs 700 per 5kg to Rs 600 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs 140 per kg as against Rs 160 per kg before, Yam (arvi) price went down from Rs 750 per 5kg to Rs 650 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs 150 per kg as against Rs 190 per kg the week before; carrot price went up from Rs 150 per 5kg to Rs 175 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 45/50 per kg as against Rs 40/45 per kg the week before, radish price went up from Rs 100 per 5kg to Rs 120 per kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 30 per kg as against Rs 25 per kg previously.

Meanwhile, brinjal price went further up from Rs 500 per 5kg to Rs 550 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 130 per kg as against Rs 120 per kg before; peas price remained stable at Rs 300 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 75 per kg, okra price went further up from Rs 900 per 5kg to Rs 950 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 210 per kg as against Rs 200 per kg before, pumpkin price went up from Rs 250 per 5kg to Rs 450 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 120 per kg as against Rs 70 per kg and bitter gourd price remained unchanged at Rs 1,100 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 270 per kg.

Moreover, cauliflower price went up from Rs 150 per 5kg to Rs 175 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 45-55 per kg as against Rs 40 per kg before, cabbage price went up from Rs 220 per 5kg to Rs 250 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs 60-65 per kg as against Rs 55 per kg and beans price went further up from Rs 700 per 5kg to Rs 750 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs 190 per kg as against Rs 180 per kg before; cucumber price went up from Rs 225 per 5kg to Rs 275 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs 65 per kg as against Rs 60 per kg previously.

Fruit prices also witnessed an increasing trend as white apple price went further up from Rs 105 per kg to Rs 115 per kg, Pakistan Kalakilo apple price went up from Rs 135 per kg to Rs 145 per kg, Iranian Kalakilo apple price went up from Rs 150 per kg to Rs 165 per kg and golden apple price went up from Rs 120 per kg to Rs 130 per kg.

Good quality banana price went up from Rs 70 per dozen to Rs 110 per dozen, normal quality banana from Rs 45-55 per dozen to Rs 60-75 per dozen, guava price went down from Rs 70 per kg to Rs 55-60 per kg. Various qualities of oranges are available in the range of Rs 45 per dozen to Rs 200 per dozen, pomegranates are available in the range of Rs 200-300 per kg as against Rs 175/275 per kg before, and grapes at Rs 200 per kg against Rs 175 per kg before.