Prices of essential food items show considerable decline

The retail markets witnessed a considerable decrease in the prices of essential food commodities, including pulses, vegetables, sugar and flour, according to a survey conducted by the Business Recorder, here on Sunday.
The survey noticed that the most of the daily kitchen items remained available at reasonable rates, with marginal changes in local market of the provincial capital Peshawar. Traders were of the view that the prices had gone down by 30 to 40 per cent, due to improved supply in market.
Price of good quality rice has decreased from Rs.110 to Rs.100 per kilogram while tota rice being sold at Rs.50/kg against the previous price Rs.60 per kilogram. Similarly, the daal channa has also gone down from Rs.180 to Rs.160/kg, white big kabali channa being available at Rs.170 per kg, which was sold at Rs.190 per kg in the preceding week.
The one-kilogram of sugar has been price at Rs.62 per kg, registering a decrease of Rs.10 per kg in retail market. However, the rate of gram flour (baisen) witnessed Rs.20 hike in each kilogram with its availability at Rs.180 per kg in local market.
According to the survey, the daal masoor is being sold at Rs.130 per kilogram, daal green, dhooti and moong remain available at Rs.120 per kg, respectively. Red bean and white lobiya are being sold at Rs.120 per kilogram. A substantial decrease in prices of vegetables was also witnessed in the local market, as rate of some veggie has gone down significantly. Five kilogram tomatoes are being sold at Rs.100 as compared to Rs.300 in the preceding week, while price of five-kg onion reduced from Rs.150 to Rs.100.
However, the price of garlic remains high with two qualities Rs.300 and Rs.320 per kilogram, while ginger is being sold at Rs.120 and Rs.140 per kilogram, respectively. Cucumber is being sold at Rs.40/kg, while green chilly is available at Rs.60 per kilogram.
Peas are being sold at Rs.60 per kg, arvi at Rs.50/kg and capsicum at Rs.60 per kg, turnip at Rs.20/kg, calabash at Rs.30 per kilogram, carrots at Rs.30/kg. Vendors and shopkeepers continue to squeeze the buyers by selling fresh milk at Rs.100 and Rs.120 per litre, against the official fixed price of Rs.70 and Rs.80 per litre.
The survey witnessed that one-kilogram chicken is priced at Rs.116/- in retail market, while a dozen of farm eggs are being sold at Rs.130 and Rs.140 in retail market. Cow meat is being sold at Rs.340 per kilogram, while mutton is available at Rs.700 per kilogram.
Fruit prices have not been reduced. Golden apples are being sold at Rs.200/kg, red apples at Rs.100 and Rs.80 per kilogram, Guava at Rs.50/kg while pomegranates remain available at Rs.120 and Rs.100 per kilogram. Two qualities of a dozen of banana are available at Rs.50 and Rs.40, respectively, in retail market.