PESHAWAR: Prices of important kitchen items here sharply increased in the retail market ahead of the holy month of Ramazan.
A weekly-market survey carried out by Business Recorder here on Sunday revealed that cooking oil/ghee, sugar, vegetables and others have risen in retail and wholesale markets ahead of Ramazan.
As the holy month of Ramazan is approaching fast, the prices have touched a new peak. An increase of Rs10-20 per kilogram/litre cooking/oil was witnessed in the retail market. Also the prices showed upward in the wholesale market, the survey noted.
Buyers during the survey blamed the shopkeepers for having increased prices before the advent of the Ramazan while there was no proper display of official price-list and uncheck on artificial rates, hoarding and profiteering by the authorities concerned.
Sugar prices also saw a slight increase as the commodity is being sold at Rs170 per kilogram against the price of Rs160/kg in the retail market, the survey said.
Flour prices remain firm, as no significant increase or decrease was witnessed in the retail as well as wholesale market. A 20-kg bag was being sold at Rs2800-3000 while an 80-kg bag was being sold at Rs 12,500 and Rs 13000 in wholesale market, the survey said. Prices of wheat flour and other products like maida, soji and choker flour are still on the rise in the retail market.
Similarly, prices of live chicken remain firm in the retail market as no visible change was witnessed. The survey added a dozen of farm eggs were available at Rs420 against the price of Rs360 in the previous week as compared to preceding week.
According to the survey, there is no change in price of meat and mutton beef, as cow meat without bone was available at Rs1100 and cow meat with bone is being sold at Rs1000 per kilogramme against the official rates announced by local authorities concerned, according to the survey. Mutton beef was being sold from Rs2500 to Rs3000/kg in the open market, the survey added.
Vegetable prices rallied in the open market ahead of Ramazan. One-kilogramme tomato is being sold at Rs140 against the price of Rs70-80 per kilogramme in the previous week as compared to preceding week whereas a one-kilogramme onion was being sold at Rs120/kg against the price Rs90/kg in previous week in the retail market whereas ginger was available at Rs600 and garlic was at Rs300-400/kg in the retail market, the survey added. Green chilli was being sold at Rs100/kg. Lemon is being sold at Rs120 per kilogram in the retail market, the survey said.
Peas was being sold at Rs120-150 /kg against the price of Rs100/ kilogram, capsicum at Rs120/kg against the price of Rs100/kg, ladyfinger Rs200-300/ kg, Arvi Rs150-200/ kg against the price of Rs120/kg, turnip at Rs100/kg against the price of Rs70/kg, Eggplant (bringle) Rs100/ kilo, Zucchini (tori) Rs120-150/ kilo, Tinda Rs100/kg against the price of Rs80/kg, cabbage at Rs120/kg, red-coloured potatoes available at Rs70/- per kg while white-coloured potatoes are sold at Rs50/ kg in the retail market, the survey said.
Buyers have complained that prices of food grains, especially those which were daily use items in the kitchen, were beyond their purchasing power. The soaring prices continue to break the back of the common man, they said.
The survey said good quality rice (sela) was available at Rs360/kg, while low quality rice was available at Rs300-320/kg, while tota rice was available at Rs200-220/kg.
Prices of pulses remained unchanged in the retail market, according to the survey.
The survey furthermore said dal mash was available at Rs480, dal masoor at Rs320 per kilo, dal chilka (black) at Rs320/kg, dal chilka (green) at Rs260/kg, moonge at Rs400/kg, dhoti dal at Rs400/kg, dal Channa at Rs450/kg, red bean at Rs440 per kg, Gram flour (baisen) at Rs420/kg against Rs280/kg, big-size white Channa at Rs380/kg, small-size white Channa from Rs360/kg.
Fruits, which are staple, but prices, are sky-rocketed in the local market, according to the survey. Apple was available from Rs250-300 and Rs400-500/kg, banana at Rs150 and 200/dozen, Guava at Rs150-200/kg.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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