Prices of most of the essential kitchen items especially pulses, sugar, rice and eggs, chicken and fruit have witnessed an increase during this week past as compared to the week before, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
The survey observed that the vegetable prices witnessed a mixed trend during the week.
Chicken price went up from Rs4,200 per 40kg to Rs4,700 per 40kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs145 per kg against Rs120 per kg, while chicken meat is available at Rs225 per kg against Rs200 per kg.
Survey observed Unilever Pakistan has increased the prices of all the medium size shampoos by Rs30 per bottle from Rs400 per pack to Rs430 per pack, and Lifebuoy shampoo price from Rs300 per pack to Rs330 per pack.
Moreover, Qarshi has increased the price of Jame Shereen's medium size bottle from Rs220 per bottle to Rs250 per bottle, Tang juice pack price went up from Rs180 per pack to Rs200 per pack.
Powder milk Nido price went up from Rs870 per kg pack to Rs940 per kg pack and Nestlé Bunyad from Rs660 per pack to Rs720 per pack.
During this week prices of all the major pulses witnessed an increase as moong pulse price further jumped from Rs270 per kg to Rs300 per kg, lobia from Rs200 per kg to Rs220 per kg, maash pulse remained stable at Rs260 per kg, masoor pulse price jumped further from Rs150 per kg to Rs170 per kg, chana pulse remained stable at Rs170 per kg, normal quality lobia price jumped from Rs170 per kg to Rs190 per kg, black chana is not available, and gram pulse is also not available in the market.
Moreover, an acute shortage of wheat flour, pulses and sugar has been observed at the government operated Utility Stores across the twin cities owing to imposition of lockdown, which has created supply related problems.
People talking to this correspondent said that after the imposition of the lockdown, the prices of the entire range of essential kitchen items have witnessed significant increase. They said that within past one week or so wheat flour prices had been taken to Rs1,450 per 25kg bag from Rs1,100 per bag and sugar price has reached Rs85-87 per kg from Rs80 per kg.
The people further said that at Utility Stores sugar was being sold at Rs83 per kg against the fixed price of Rs68 per kg, and at other general stores it was available in the range of Rs85-87 per kg.
Normal quality ghee price went up from Rs2,400 per carton to Rs2,500 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs180 per kg against Rs170 per kg, eggs price further increased from Rs115 per dozen to Rs120 per dozen, which in retail are being sold at Rs130 per dozen against Rs125 per dozen.
During the week prices of most of the vegetables witnessed a mixed trend as onion price went further down from Rs350 per 5kg to Rs300 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs70 per kg against Rs80 per kg.
Tomatoes price remained stable at Rs100 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs35-40 per kg, potato price also remained stable at Rs180 per 5kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs45 per kg.
Garlic price remained unchanged at Rs1,200 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs320 per kg and Chinese ginger price also remained stable at Rs1,350 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs400 per kg.
Capsicum price went down from Rs550 per 5kg to Rs375 per 5kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs90 per kg against Rs150 per kg; Yam (arvi) price went up from Rs670 per 5kg to Rs750 per kg, which in retail market is being sold at Rs180 per kg against Rs150 per kg; carrot price went up from Rs160 per 5kg to Rs180 per kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs45 per kg against Rs40 per kg, radish price is stable at Rs100 per kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs25-30 per kg.
Brinjal price remained stable at Rs225 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs60 per kg, peas price went down from Rs225 per 5kg to Rs175 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs50 per kg as against Rs60 per kg, okra price went up from Rs550 per 5kg to Rs750 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs175 per kg as against Rs145 per kg, various qualities of pumpkin price varied in the range of Rs80-50 per kg as against Rs45-75 per kg.