AMJAD ALI SHAH

PESHAWAR: Upward trend in prices of essential kitchen items, including live chicken/meat, farm eggs, sugar, flour, vegetable, pulses and others was witnessed in the retail market, according to a survey carried out by Business Recorder here on Sunday.

Price of live chicken meat has risen sharply in the local market, as available at Rs231 per kg, which was selling at Rs216 per kg a few days back, it was noticed. A dozen of farm eggs are being sold at Rs170-180 in the retail market.

Similarly, the price of sugar has touched a new peak as available at Rs115 per kg in the local market. Likewise, a 20-kg flour bag was available at Rs1100-1200, while maida (fine flour) was being sold at Rs70 per kg.

Fresh milk is being sold at Rs120-130 per litre, while yogurt was available at Rs130-140 per kg. Cow meat with bone is being sold at Rs500 kg and without bone at Rs600 per kg; Mutton beef was available within range of Rs1100-1200 per kg.

According to the survey, the prices of vegetables have remained high-side in the retail market. Ginger is being sold at Rs650-700 per kg, garlic at Rs250-270 per kg, tomatoes are being available at Rs150 per kg, green chilli at Rs200-250 per kg, lemon at Rs140-160 per kg, onion at Rs70-80 and Rs90 per kg, cucumber at Rs60 per kg, a bundle of radish was available at Rs20-30.

In the retail market, it was witnessed that peas are being sold at Rs200-250 per kg, capsicum at Rs140 per kg, arvi at Rs120-140 per kg, cauliflower at Rs100-120 per kg, cabbage at Rs80 per kg, kado at Rs80-90 per kg, tori at Rs70-80 per kg, ladyfinger at Rs90-100 per kg, turnip at Rs60 per kg. Similarly, according to the survey, red-coloured potato is being sold at Rs80-100 per kg, while others were available at Rs70-80 per kg, bringle at Rs60 per kg.

According to the survey, the prices of pulses/food grains have remained high-side in the local market. Good quality rice (sela) was available at Rs150-160 per kg, toota rice at Rs70-80 per kg, white big-size channa at Rs140-150 per kg, red bean at Rs160-200 per kg, moong at Rs200 per kg. Dal mash was being sold at Rs270 per kg, while price of dhoti dal also touched new peak as available at Rs230-240 per kg. Green dal chilka was available at Rs160 per kg, whereas the black dal chilka is being sold at Rs180 per kg. White lobiya is being sold at Rs160 per kg, dal masoor at Rs140 per kg, the survey noticed.

It added that all brands and quality of cooking oil and ghee were available at high side, the survey said. Fresh milk is being sold at Rs130-140 per litre, while yogurt was available at Rs120 per kg. Fresh milk was available at Rs120-140 per litre, while yogurt was sold at Rs130 per kg.

Fruits as staple food were also completely out of the purchasing power of the common man. Apples are being sold at Rs150 per kg, persimmons at Rs80 per kg, guava at Rs90-100 per kg, grapes are being sold at Rs150 per kg, pomegranate at Rs150 per kg, and a dozen of bananas are being sold at Rs50-60 and Rs70.