ISLAMABAD: The prices of essential kitchen items especially vegetables and fruits have continued witnessing an increasing trend during this week past against the previous week, revealed a survey carried out by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.
The survey has observed that within the past seven weeks owing to successive increase in fuel prices which led to escalate transportation cost, the prices of vegetables and fruits have witnessed a significant increase.
The survey observed a reduction in sugar price which went down from Rs 7,500 per 50kg bag in the wholesale to Rs 7,300 per bag in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per kg. Since September 7th, the sugar price has witnessed a reduction of Rs 1,700 per bag as it went down from Rs 9,000 per bag to Rs 7,300 per bag or Rs34 per kg.
However, within the past five months, sugar price has witnessed an increase of Rs 4,000 per bag as it went up from Rs 5,000 per 50kg bag to Rs 9,000 since June 2023, which shows sugar industry is still profiteering at Rs 2,300 per 50kg bag or Rs46 per kg in the wholesale market, while in retail its price has witnessed an increase of Rs56 per kg.
Chicken price is stable at Rs 14,500 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 Rs 8,400 to Rs 8,000 per carton, while in retail, eggs are being sold at Rs300 per dozen against Rs310 per dozen.
Wheat flour price slightly reduced as best quality wheat flour is available at Rs 2,100 per 15kg bag against Rs 2,120 per 15kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs 2,150 per bag, normal quality wheat flour bag is available at Rs 2,050 against Rs 2,080 in the wholesale market, which in retail is being sold at Rs 2,100 per bag against Rs 2,120 per bag.
Tea prices remained stable as Lipton Yellow Label is available at Rs 2,050 per 900 gram pack and Islamabad tea is available at Rs 1,600; powdered chili price went down from Rs750 per kg to Rs700 per kg, and turmeric powder price went down from Rs750 per kg to Rs700 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 Rs 3,600, while in the market it is available at Rs 4,500 per 15kg cylinder, reflecting an overcharging of Rs900 per cylinder.
Branded spices such as National, Shan, and others’ prices are stable at Rs100 per pack. 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 no changes as best quality basmati rice is available at Rs 13,200, while the retailers are selling at Rs 350 per kg, normal quality Basmati rice at Rs 10,500 per bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs300 per kg, and broken Basmati rice price is stable at Rs 9,500, 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 Rs 5,400 to Rs 5,000 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 Rs 2,790 and cooking oil at Rs 2,850 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.
Pulses prices remained stable as best quality maash is available at Rs570 per kg, gram pulse is being sold at Rs320 per kg, whole gram pulse is being sold at Rs380 per kg, prices of various varieties of bean lentils witnessed an increase as it went up from Rs300-350 per kg to Rs350-400 per kg, moong price remained stable at Rs320 per kg, and masoor at Rs320 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 and bathing soaps prices witnessed no changes as Safeguard, Lux, and Dettol’s normal size bathing soap are available at Rs145 per pack and family pack at Rs170 per pack.
Overall, vegetables prices witnessed an increasing trend. Ginger price in the wholesale market went up from Rs 5,500 to Rs 5,900 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs 1,250-1,280 per kg against Rs 1,200-1,250 per kg. Local garlic price remained stable at Rs 1,800 in the wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs400-450 per kg, and Quetta garlic price went up from Rs 2,300 to Rs 2,500 per 5kg in the wholesale market, which in retail is available in the range of Rs600-650 against Rs550-650 per kg.
Potato price remained stable as it is available at Rs300-400 per 5kg in wholesale, which in retail are being sold at Rs80-100 per kg against Rs70-95 per kg, tomato prices went down from Rs1,000 per basket of 13kg to Rs900 in the wholesale market, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs65-100 per kg and onions price went up from Rs300-400 per 5kg to Rs400-500, which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs100-140 against Rs70-100 per kg.
Capsicum price went up from Rs750-850 to Rs800-900 per 5kg in wholesale market which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs200-230 per kg against Rs165-190, the prices of various varieties of pumpkin went up from Rs550-650 per 5kg to Rs550-700 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs140-200 per kg against Rs120-170 per kg, brinjal price went up from Rs300 per 5kg to Rs450, which in retail are being sold at Rs110-120 per kg against Rs75-85 per kg, cauliflower price is stable at Rs500-550 per 5kg, which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs130-150 per kg, and cabbage price is stable at Rs400 which in retail is being sold at Rs95-110 per kg. Bitter gourd price went up from Rs400-450 per 5kg to Rs450-500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs130-150 per kg against Rs120-130 per kg, fresh bean price went up from Rs470-500 to Rs600-650 per 5kg in wholesale market which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs140-150 per kg against Rs115-130 per kg and cucumber price is stable at Rs400 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs95-110 per kg, tinda price went further up from Rs550 per 5kg to Rs700 which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs160-190 against Rs130-145 per kg. Okra price went up from Rs275 per 5kg to Rs400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs110-120 per kg against Rs70-80 per kg, turnip price went up from Rs300-350 per 5kg to Rs350-400 per 5kg which in retail is being sold in the range of Rs100-120 against Rs80-90 per kg, yam price went up from Rs350-400 per 5kg to Rs500 per 5kg which in retail are being sold in the range of Rs125-140 per kg against Rs80-95 per kg.
Best quality bananas’ price went up from Rs150 to Rs180 per dozen and normal quality bananas are available from Rs80-125 per dozen to Rs80-140 a dozen, best quality guava is available at Rs150 per kg against Rs130 per kg and normal in the range of Rs80-100 per kg, Gaja apples are available in the range of Rs90-230, different varieties of mangoes are available in the range of Rs110-375 per kg against Rs80-255, dosheri mango at Rs110 per kg is the cheapest and nawabi chunsa at Rs375 per kg is the most expensive, and peach is available at Rs100-400 per kg against 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 flashfloods triggered by monsoon rains which caused serious damage to various vegetable crops.
According to traders, increase in fuel costs and utilities’ costs are contributing, at least, 20 per cent 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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