Prices of essential kitchen items on the rise

Prices of most of the essential kitchen items like sugar, cooking oil/ghee, eggs, tea and some vegetables registered an increase during the week, over the corresponding period a week ago, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed.
The survey noted that the prices of sugar, live chicken, loose tea, tomatoes, potatoes, chicken meat, mutton, beef, washed Dal Mong, mustard oil, washed Dal Mash, garlic, eggs and red chillies registered a further increase in prices over the previous week. While the prices of some of the vegetables like peas, cauliflower, potato, onions and carrot decreased due to abundant supply.
Shaukat, a fruit merchant said that that fruit prices are now beyond the reach of the common man as normal quality banana is being sold at Rs 70 dozen, apple Rs 100-120 per kg, orange Rs 80 to Rs 150 depending on the size/quality, guava at Rs 60-70 per kg and strawberry at Rs 200 per kg.
The survey noted that the increasing prices of ghee/cooking oil has hit the common man badly as normal quality of cooking oil is being sold at Rs 190 per kg, which in December 2010 was available at Rs 140 per kg. Lipton tea has also increased the price of per 190 gram tea pack by Rs 35 in the retail market. According to traders, the price of 12-kg tin of normal quality cooking oil shot up to Rs 2,000 from Rs 1,810 within one month.
The price of 16 kilogram tin of cooking oil and ghee surged to Rs 2,700 from Rs 2,500, showing an increase of Rs 200 per tin, while branded cooking oil and ghee in one-kg packing increased by Rs 10 per pack, which now is being sold at Rs 190 per kg.
Live chicken prices increased by Rs 15kg which last week was being sold at Rs 135 kg and this week are being sold at Rs 148 per kg, chicken meat price increased by Rs 25 per kg and currently is available at Rs 250 per kg against Rs 225 per kg last week, and orange price increased by Rs 20-40 per dozen depending on the quality, which is available at Rs 80 to Rs 150 per dozen.
City District Administration Rawalpindi in February fixed the prices of essential kitchen items and issued a price list to all the shopkeepers, but the shopkeepers are openly violating the official price list and are selling an entire range of essential food items at prices that are not in price official list, the survey observed. The shopkeepers maintain that the official rate list is not logical.
The survey did not find any retailer in the twin cities selling any kitchen item at the government prescribed rates. The government a few weeks ago fixed mutton prices at Rs 350 per kg while butchers are selling it at Rs 450-500 per kg and beef at Rs 250 per kg against Rs 180 per kg. "Meat is getting out of the reach of the common man and the government has also failed to control the price of grains," said Imtiaz Shah, a customer at Narankari Bazaar. He said the price hike had badly affected the life of the people.
Dal Channa was available at Rs 75 per kg against the official price of Rs 70 per kg, Dal Masoor at Rs 125 per kg against Rs 114 per kg, Maash at Rs 150-170 per kg against Rs 140-160 per kg, Dal Moong at Rs 150 per kg against Rs 140 per kg and rice at Rs 100-120 per kg against Rs 90-100 per kg.
Milk was available at Rs 60/litre against the official price of Rs 45/litre and yoghurt at Rs 60/kg against Rs 50/kg. At fruit and vegetable markets Islamabad/Rawalpindi different vegetables are being sold at the following rates: Potato at Rs 20 per kg. onion at Rs 25 to 30 per kg depending on quality, branjal at Rs 60, tomato at Rs 40, cauliflower at Rs 20, carrot at Rs 15, Okra at Rs 170, garlic at Rs 200, adrak at Rs 150, peas at Rs 30. During the survey most of the people complained that the shopkeepers are overcharging as well selling lower quality and adulterated items at a-grade rates.