ISLAMABAD: Prices of all the essential kitchen items have witnessed an increasing trend during this week past as compared with the previous week, a survey carried out by Business Recorder revealed here on Saturday.
According to traders, the increase in essential kitchen items as well as other daily use items is a direct result of an increase in fuel, power prices coupled with Pak rupee depreciation against the dollar and other major global currencies.
During the week under review, good quality wheat flour price of 15 kg bag has been increased from Rs 1,060 to Rs 1,075 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 1,200 per bag.
According to traders, the government-sponsored wheat flour bag of 20kg is not only sub-standard but was also not available to all the consumers as millers have linked the supply with purchasing same quantity of 15kg wheat flour bags, which costs high.
Sugar price further jumped by Rs 300 per 50kg bag from Rs 5,550 to Rs 5,850, which in retail is being sold at Rs 122-125 per kg against Rs 118-120 per kg. According to traders, millers have increased sugar price by Rs 850 per 50kg within the past three weeks taking retail price from Rs 110 per kg to Rs 125 per kg.
No change was witnessed in best quality ghee/cooking oil prices, which remained stable at Rs 370 per litre pack, while B-grade cooking oil prices have further jumped from Rs 4,440 per carton to Rs 4,450 per carton, which in retail is being sold at Rs 275 per pack of 900grams.
Traders told this correspondent, that dealers of Dalda and Sufi cooking oil like brands have intimated them that within next few days the price of 5-litre pack is likely to cross Rs 2,000 and per litre pack price will cross Rs 420 per litre mark.
Ghee and cooking oil prices are rising since December 2020 as during this period the best quality ghee/cooking oil price has witnessed an increase of Rs134 per kg from Rs 250 per kg to Rs 370 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs 115 per pack of 900grams from Rs 160 to Rs 275 per pack.
The suppliers of various brands of packed spices have not only increased the prices of their products but have also reduce the size of packs as Shan and National spices have not only increased the price from Rs 75 per pack to Rs 80 per pack but have also reduced the weight of the pack from 50gram to 43grams. Boneless beef price, which last week went up from Rs 750 per kg to Rs 800 per kg, beef with bones from Rs 600 per kg to Rs 650 per kg remained unchanged during the week under review and mutton price remained unchanged at Rs 1,350 per kg.
Pulses prices remained stable as fine quality maash is being sold at Rs 280 per kg, best quality lentil at Rs 190 per kg. Best quality bean lentil at Rs 280 per kg, masoor at Rs 190-200 per kg, best quality whole gram at Rs 180 per kg, and moong at Rs140 per kg.
Powder red chillis prices went down from Rs 400 per kg to Rs 360 per kg and powder turmeric price reduced from Rs 400 per kg to Rs 375 per kg. Fresh milk as well as packed milk prices remained stable during the week. Prices of various quality rice have also remained stable.
However, during this weekend, the prices of chicken witnessed a further slight reduction of Rs 300 per 40kg, which went down from Rs 9,500 per 40kg to Rs 9,200, while in retail chicken is being sold at Rs 250-260 per kg against Rs 270 per kg, and chicken meat at Rs 360 per kg against Rs 390 per kg. Eggs prices witnessed an increase, which jumped from Rs 4,920 per carton to Rs 5,100 per carton, while in retail, eggs are being sold at Rs180 per dozen against Rs 175 per dozen.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price in retail went up from Rs 240 per kg to Rs 250 per kg against Rs 205 fixed by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on October 2, 2021, while 11.8kg LPG cylinder is being sold at Rs 2,450 against Rs 2,300. Moreover, in hilly areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, the commodity prices have reached 280 per kg mark.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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