The prices of pulses of different qualities increased in the Multan market on Sunday, while the rates of potato, onion, tomato and chicken meat also gained and other essential kitchen items remained stable at previous high levels.
Malik Muhammad Siddique, a wholesaler of pulses told that good quantity of Pakistani pulses was being exported to Iran so the prices of good and low quality pulses registered an upwards trend.
He predicted that if the export of pulses to Iran would continue then in off-season the price of good quality Pakistani pulses in local market would cross the level of Rs 50 per kilogram. Current surging trend in various essential kitchen items one after the other reflects the poor policies of the government. It seems that there is no policy to keep the price of essential items at a certain level to meet the uncertain conditions.
The governments also have not any policy of strategic reserves of foods. It also reflects that there is no check and balance on the rates of essential commodities by the government and the price control authorities. Meanwhile, the rates of sugar stood at Rs 29 and ghee prices increased by Rs 5 per kg.
The ex-factory price of 100-kilogram sugar sack was stable per bag to close at Rs 2,660 per bag.
However, the retail and wholesale price of sugar also remained stable at previous levels. In retail markets, the retailers charged Rs 28 to 29 per kilogram for sugar in various parts of the city.
A-category 16-kilogram ghee tin was sold at Rs 1,400. B-category 16-kilogram ghee tin was sold at Rs 1, 320 and C-category 16-kilogram ghee was available at Rs 1,280.
The retailers charged Rs 80 to 95 per kilogram for loose. The price of loose ghee was Rs 80 per kilogram and different brands ghee polybag rates were ranging from Rs 90 to 95 per kilogram. The price of good quality Basmati rice of different brands reached Rs 55 to 60 per kilogram as compared to previous rate of Rs 50 to 55 per kilogram.
Similarly, lower quality rice prices were ranging from Rs 32 to 35 per kilogram.
Broken rice rate was ranging from Rs 26 to 34 per kilogram against previous rate of Rs 24 to 29 per kilogram. Different varieties of gram pulse were sold at Rs 32 to 35 per kilogram, while Masoor pulse was available at Rs 55 to 60 per kilogram.
The price of 20-kilogram flour bag ranged from Rs 265 to Rs 270 per bag of different brands and the rates of 10-kilogram flour bags were Rs 135 to 140 per bag of different brands.
The market committee fixed the prices of onion at Rs 7 to Rs 12 per kilogram registering an increase of Re 1 per kilogram as compared to yesterday's rate of Rs 7 to Rs 11 per kilogram.
However, the vendors charged Rs 8 to 15 per kilogram for onion. Tomato was sold at Rs 32 to 44 per kilogram against the market committee fixed price of Rs 29 to 34 per kilogram.
Potato was sold at 15 to 20 per kilogram against the fixed price of Rs 12 to 17 per kilogram. Fruits including watermelon and melon were varying from Rs 5 to 10 per piece. Banana was sold Rs 25 to 50 per dozen, while rate of different quality mangoes was fixed by the committee at Rs 25 to 50 per kilogram, but the vendors were selling in the different areas at Rs 30 to 55 per kilogram.
The fixed price of eggs was Rs 33 per dozen, but the retailers charged Rs 36 to 38 per dozen for eggs.