ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD: Prices of essential kitchen items have witnessed an increasing trend during this week past as compared with the previous week, revealed a survey conducted by Business Recorder, here on Saturday.

The survey revealed chicken price remained stable at Rs8,000 in wholesale market, while in retail market, chicken is being sold at Rs225 per kg and chicken meat is being sold at Rs340 per kg, which a few weeks ago had crossed Rs500 per kg mark.

The survey noted an increase in eggs price which further jumped from Rs4,350 per carton to Rs4,000 per carton in wholesale market, while in retail market, eggs are being sold at Rs160 per dozen. Usually in summer season, eggs prices remain hovering in the range of Rs70-90 per dozen but since past summer, the eggs prices are continuously going up which during ongoing summer season has beaten all the previous records.

The survey observed an increase in the prices of all the detergents, bath soaps, shampoos and other household items. Brite Surf price jumped by Rs20 per kg pack from Rs300 per kg pack to Rs320 per pack, Safeguard washing soap jumbo pack price jumped from Rs73 per pack to Rs85 per pack, and prices of all the shampoo brands jumped from Rs210 per bottle to Rs250 per bottle.

Moreover, prices of cooked food such as vegetable plate, daal plate, tea cup, chicken, karri, haleem, and others have also witnessed an increase. Cooked vegetable plate price has increased from Rs90 per plate to Rs120, cooked daal plate price also jumped from Rs95 to Rs120, chicken haleem plate price jumped from Rs150 to Rs210 per plate, karri plate rate jumped from Rs100 to Rs140, cooked chicken plate price jumped from Rs175 to Rs250 per plate, and roti price has jumped from Rs10 per roti to Rs12 per roti.

No changes were witnessed in ghee/cooking oil prices as best quality ghee/cooking oil is available at Rs1,620 per carton and B-grade ghee/cooking at Rs3,800 per 16 pack carton. Since December 2020, best quality ghee/cooking oil price has witnessed an increase of Rs110 per kg from Rs250 per kg Rs360 per kg, while B-grade ghee/cooking oil price increased by Rs90 per pack of 900 grams from Rs160 to Rs250 per pack.

Wheat flour price has witnessed a slight reduction from Rs1,150 per 20kg bag to Rs1,120 per 20 kg bag in wholesale market, which in retail market is being sold at Rs1,140 per 20 kg bag. The government-sponsored subsidized wheat flour is not being supplied in the open market but only limited to Utility Stores outlets at Rs860 per 20kg bag.

The survey observed no changes in sugar price, which is available at Rs4,750 per 40kg, while in the retail market, it is being sold at Rs105 per kg.

No changes were observed in packed milk prices such as Milk Pak and Olper’s which is available at Rs42.5 per pack and litre pack at Rs160 per pack. Fresh milk and yogurt prices also remained unchanged at Rs140 per kg and Rs150 per kg respectively.

Prices of the various brands of rice witnessed an increase as best quality Basmati rice price jumped from Rs5,400 per 40kg bag to Rs5,800 per 40kg bag, which in retail is being sold at Rs170 per kg against Rs160 per kg, while normal quality rice brands are being sold at Rs80 per kg to Rs120 per kg.

Pulses prices witnessed no changes as Moong pulse in wholesales is available at Rs8,000 per 40 kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs220 per kg, Maash Pulse at Rs8,500 per 40 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs230 per kg, best quality lentil at Rs5,000 per 40 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg. Best quality bean lentil at Rs8,000 per bag which in retail is being sold at Rs200 per kg, Masoor pulse at Rs5,000 per 40 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg, while best quality whole gram at Rs5,000 per 40 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs130 per kg.

A comparison of the prevailing market prices with the prices computed by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) revealed a serious differences as PBS has mentioned sugar price at Rs98.44 per kg while in market on average sugar is available at Rs105 per kg, similarly PBS mentioned dalda ghee/cooking oil price Rs1,540 per 5kg tin while in market is being sold Rs1,560 per 5 kg tin. PBS mentioned wheat flour price of Rs1,134.92 per 20 kg bag but in market it is available at Rs1,140 per 20 kg bag. Fresh milk price at Rs109.85 per kg while in market it is being sold at Rs140 per kg, cooked daal plate at average hotel is available at Rs120 per plate against PBS mentioned price of Rs79.08 per plate, mutton in rural areas of Rawalpindi Islamabad is available at Rs1,200 per kg while PBS has mentioned it at Rs1,103.26 per kg, while in urban areas of the twin cities mutton is being sold at Rs1,360 per kg.

The survey noted an increasing trend in the prices of vegetables as potato price went up from Rs220 per 5 kg to Rs230 per 5 kg, which in retail are still being sold at Rs55 per kg, tomatoes price remained stable at Rs130 per 5 kg in wholesales market which in retail are being sold at Rs35 per kg, onion price also remained unchanged at Rs120 per 5 kg, which in retail are being sold at Rs30-35 per kg. Ginger price went up from Rs1,750 per 5 kg to Rs2,150 per 5 kg which in retail market is being sold at Rs460 per kg against Rs400 per kg and local garlic price went down from Rs650 per 5 kg to Rs550 per 5 kg, which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs160 per kg. Pumpkin price remained stable at Rs240 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at 60 per kg, okra price went down from Rs375 per 5 kg to Rs200 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs55 per kg against Rs90 per kg, capsicum price went down from Rs350 per 5 kg to Rs230 per 5 kg which in retail is available at Rs55-60 per kg against Rs80 per kg, fresh bean price went down Rs600 per 5 kg to Rs500 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs130 per kg against Rs150 per kg, peas price went down from Rs600 per 5 kg to Rs450 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs110 per kg against Rs150 per kg, cauliflower price has touched all time high price level of Rs650 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs140 per kg against Rs95 per kg and cabbage price went up from Rs150 per 5 kg to Rs170 per 5 kg which in retail is being sold at Rs45 per kg against Rs40 per kg.

Fruit prices witnessed no changes as best quality banana is available at Rs150 per dozen, while normal quality in the range of Rs100-120 per dozen, watermelon is available in the range of Rs25-35 per kg, various brands of apple are available in the range of Rs120-275, melon price went up from Rs45 per kg to Rs50 per kg and cheery is being sold at Rs300 per kg. Various brands of peach are available in the range of Rs100 per kg to Rs225 per kg and various qualities of mangoes in the range of Rs90-150 per kg while plum is available at Rs400 per kg against Rs350 per kg.