Prices of essential food items remained steady

Prices of essential food commodities have remained unchanged in retail market, according to survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday. The survey noticed that the prices of most of daily use items, including pulses, vegetable, chicken meat, sugar, flour, and others remained at high-side, as no significant change or decrease was witnessed during the preceding week as compared to last week. However, the shopkeepers and wholesalers decried that the prices would increase in coming days due to imposition of new taxes as well as substantial hike, was also proposed in petroleum prices.
While the wholesale prices of many vegetables, including tomato, onion, potato, have considerably decreased, many retailers are still fleecing consumers by overcharging, the survey noticed. Seasonal pushcart vendors are selling five kilograms of tomatoes at Rs 120 per kilogram or Rs 20 per-kilo, as compared to compared to Rs 30-40 per kilo charged by regular vegetable sellers. Similarly, vendors are selling onion in retail market at Rs 40 per kilogram, while pushcart vendors are sold at Rs 20-30 per kilo. Around 5kg potato is being sold at Rs 100, while regular dealers are demanding Rs 30-40 per kg. Onion price is tagged at Rs 30 per kg while the seasonal retailers sell 2.5-3 kg onion at Rs 50.
Regular retailers said pushcart retailers were procuring low-quality vegetables. Cabbage price varies between Rs 40-50 per kg while cucumber price also hovers between Rs 30-40 per kg. Cauliflower is sold at Rs 30 per kg by various retailers while apple gourd, bottle gourd and ridge gourd prices range between Rs 40 and Rs 50 per kg.
The price of per kg lady finger in off season is tagged at Rs 100-120. Ginger and garlic are available at Rs 150-200 depending on the quality. Peas (old and new varieties) are being sold for Rs 40-50 per kg and Rs 60-80 per kg, while capsicum is being sold at Rs 50-60 per kg. Arvi is being sold at Rs 50-60 per kg.
The prices of most of pulses were remained high-side in retail market. New quality rice (sela) is available at Rs 160 per kilogram, while old rice (sela) priced at Rs 145 per kilogram in retail market. Similarly, good quality toota rice is being sold at Rs 80 per kilogram.
Similarly, the prices of other food grains have remained stable in retail market. Dal channa is being sold at Rs 110 per kg, dal mash at Rs 120 per kg, Dal green chilka at Rs 130 per kg, dal black chilka at Rs 120 per kg, white lobiya at Rs 120 per kg, red bean at Rs 120 per kg, dhoti dal at Rs 90, moonge is being sold at Rs 120 per kg.
Prices of all brands of cooking oil/ghee were remained unchanged in retail market as available within range of Rs 120 per kg/litre to Rs 180 per kg/litre. A one-kilogram sugar is being sold at Rs 52 in retail market. Chicken meat is being available at Rs 176 per kilogram, which was selling at Rs 180 per kilogram in last week, showing an decrease of Rs 4 per kg in retail market, the survey said. However, the price of farm eggs was remained stable as available at Rs 100 and Rs 90 in the retail market.
Similarly, a ten rupee was increased in price of gram flour (baisen) in retail market, which is available at Rs 120 per kilogram. White big-size channa is being sold at Rs 180 per kilogram, which was selling at Rs 170 per kg in previous week. Fresh milk is being sold at Rs 110 per litre, while yogurt available at Rs 110-120 per kilo in local market. Cow meat is being sold at Rs 350-400 per kilo, while beef available at Rs 700-750 per kilo in retail market.