ISLAMABAD: Following a further increase in petrol and high-speed diesel prices, the prices of essential kitchen items have also witnessed a further increase during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey observed a reduction in sugar price which went down from Rs8,200 per 50kg bag in wholesale to Rs7,800 per bag in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per kg.
Within the past three months, sugar price has witnessed an increase of Rs2,500 per 50kg bag as it went up from Rs5,500 to Rs7,800 per 50kg in the wholesale market, while in retail its price has witnessed an increase of Rs56 per kg.
Chicken price is stable at Rs14,500 in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs385 per kg, while chicken meat is being sold at Rs680 per kg, egg price went down from Rs8,270 to Rs8,000 per carton, while in retail, eggs are being sold at Rs300 per dozen against Rs305 per dozen.
Wheat flour price remained unchanged as best quality wheat flour is available at Rs2,120 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,150 per bag, normal quality wheat flour bag is available at Rs2,080 in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs2,120 per bag.
Tea prices remained stable as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs2,050 per 900 gram pack and Islamabad tea is available at Rs1,600; powdered chilli price went up from Rs600 per kg to Rs750 per kg, and turmeric powder price up from Rs500 per kg to Rs750 per kg.
The Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) price witnessed no change as officially it is available at Rs240.1 per kg, however, LPG traders are selling the commodity at their own set price in violation of the OGRA’s set price of Rs240.1 per kg as the distributors and retailers are selling the commodity in the range of Rs290-320 per kg. The OGRA has set 15kg domestic cylinder LPG price at Rs3,600, while in market it is available at Rs4,500 per 15kg cylinder, reflecting an overcharging of Rs900 per cylinder.
Branded spices such as National, Shan, and other prices went down from Rs110 per pack to Rs100. Prepared tea cup at a normal tea stall is available at Rs70 per cup, the price of a cooked daal plate at a normal hotel is Rs250, cooked vegetable plate at Rs250, while roti price remained stable at Rs20 per roti, and naan at Rs30.
Rice prices witnessed an increase as best quality basmati rice price went up from Rs13,000 per 40kg bag to Rs13,200, while the retailers are selling at Rs350 per kg, normal quality Basmati rice price went up from Rs10,000 to Rs10,500 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per kg, and broken Basmati rice price is stable Rs9,500, which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per kg.
Ghee-cooking oil prices witnessed a mixed trend as B-grade ghee-cooking oil prices went down from Rs5,800 to Rs5,500 per carton in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs365-380. While best quality cooking oil-ghee brands such as Dalda ghee is available at Rs2,790 and cooking oil at Rs2,850 per 5-litre bottle.
However, it is observed that retailers in different parts of the cities are free to charge their own as there is no check by the price monitoring committees.
Moreover, traders also said that the ghee, cooking oil, pulses, and other edibles prices in the coming weeks may go up as Pakistani rupee in the past one month has witnessed a significant depreciation.
Pulses prices witnessed an increasing trend as best quality maash is available at Rs570 per kg against Rs540 per kg, gram pulse is being sold at Rs320 per kg against Rs300 per kg, whole gram pulse is being sold at Rs380 per kg against Rs370 per kg, bean lentils of various varieties are available in the range of Rs300-350 per kg, moong at Rs320 per kg against Rs280 per kg, and masoor at Rs320 per kg against Rs280 per kg.
Packed milk prices remained unchanged as small Milk Pak and other brands are being sold at Rs70 per pack, while one litre pack is available at Rs260 per pack. Fresh milk prices are stable at Rs200 per kg and yoghurt at Rs220 per kg.
Detergents’ prices witnessed an increase as well as bathing soaps such as Safeguard, Lux, and Dettol normal size bathing soap price went up from Rs130 to Rs145 per pack and family pack price went up from Rs160 to Rs170 per pack.
Overall, vegetables prices witnessed a mixed trend. Ginger price in the wholesale market went down from Rs5,300 to Rs5,200 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs1,150-1275 per kg, local garlic price went down from Rs1,700 to Rs1,500 in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs380-400 per kg, and Quetta garlic price is stable at Rs2,300 in the wholesale market, which in retail is available in the range of Rs550-650.
Potato price remained stable as it is available at Rs300-400 per 5kg in wholesale, which in retail are being sold at Rs70-95 per kg, tomato prices went down from Rs1,700 per basket of 13kg to Rs1,200 in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs75-110 per kg against Rs155-220 and onions price went up from Rs230-300 per 5kg to Rs250-350, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-90 against Rs55-85 per kg.
Capsicum price went down from Rs700-750 to Rs600-650 per 5kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs135-150 per kg against Rs165-180, the prices of various varieties of pumpkin are stable in the range of Rs300-400 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs70-95 per kg, brinjal price went down from Rs400 per 5kg to Rs300, which in retail are being sold at Rs75-85 per kg against Rs100-110 per kg, cauliflower price went up from Rs450-500 per 5kg to Rs550-600 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs130-150 per kg against Rs110-125 per kg, and cabbage price is stable at Rs480 per 5kg which in retail is being sold at Rs110-120 per kg.
Bitter gourd price went up from Rs330-350 to Rs400-450per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-130 per kg against Rs80-90 per kg, fresh bean price is stable at Rs470-500 in wholesale market which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs115-120 per kg and cucumber price went down from Rs800 per 5kg to Rs470 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-130 per kg against Rs185-220 per kg, tinda price went up from Rs400 per 5kg to Rs500 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs120-130 per kg against Rs100-120.
Best quality bananas’ price went down from Rs160 to Rs150 per dozen and normal quality bananas are available in the range of Rs80-130 per dozen against Rs95-140 a dozen, best quality guava is available at Rs130 per kg and normal in the range of Rs80-100 per kg, Gaja apples are available in the range of Rs80-200 against Rs100 per kg. Different varieties of mangoes are available in the range of Rs80-255 per kg against Rs80-225, dosheri mango at Rs80 per kg is the cheapest and nawabi chunsa at Rs255 per kg is the most expensive, and peach is available at Rs90-250 per kg, various varieties of grapes are available in the range of Rs200 per kg to Rs400 per kg.
However, the survey observed that due to ineffective monitoring by the special price control magistrates and other relevant departments including assistant commissioners and deputy commissioners, the retailers are free to charge their own prices of not only vegetables and fruits but of other items too.
Moreover, there is a serious difference between the official prices of various items and market prices. It is also observed retailers, vendors, and other sellers are not displaying official price list of household items at an appropriate place and are not even providing on demand.
Traders told this correspondent that the current wave of increase in prices of essential kitchen items can be attributed to the increase in fuel prices and flash floods triggered by monsoon rains which caused serious damage to infrastructure connecting various parts of the country.
The floods have also resulted in sweeping away various crops in many parts of the country which has also played a key role in taking the prices of vegetables and fruits up.
According to traders, increase in fuel costs and utilities’ costs are contributing, at least, 20 percent increase in the prices of all the items, saying owing to increase in gas and electricity bills, traders are also forced to move up their margins to meet ever increasing expenditure from salaries to transportation costs and other miscellaneous expenses.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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