The prices of essential kitchen items including vegetables, wheat flour, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and sugar have registered a decline, while prices of other daily use items such as footwear, clothing, rice, spices, eggs and beef have registered an increase.
A survey conducted by Business Recorder on Saturday revealed that potato is being sold at Rs 150 per five kg against Rs 450 per five kg in the wholesale market one month ago, onion is being sold at Rs 200 per five kg in wholesales market, while in retail market at Rs 50 per kg, tomato, which one month ago was being sold at Rs 100-120 per kg in retail market, is now available at Rs 50-60 per kg and at Rs 250 per five kg in wholesales market against Rs 500 per five kg a month ago.
According to dealers at vegetable and fruit market, prices of these items have came down because of supply/demand issue as new crops from Punjab have reached in the market. Cauliflower is available at Rs 30 per kg, which a month back crossed Rs 80 per kg mark in the wholesale market, while in retail cauliflower is available at Rs 25-30 per kg, which was being sold at Rs 90-100 per kg in earlier December 2013, wheat-flour price has reduced to Rs 40 per kg against Rs 45 per kg, normal quality cooking oil at Rs 150 per kg while good quality cooking at Rs 205 per kg.
Lemon at Rs 60 in wholesale market and Rs 80 in retail market, ginger at Rs 220 in wholesale market and Rs 300 in retail market against Rs 360 per kg last month, garlic at Rs 150 in wholesale market and Rs 200 in retail, capsicum (Simla Mirch) at Rs 50 in wholesale market and Rs 60-70 in retail market, cabbage at Rs 40 in wholesale market and Rs 50 in retail market, green peas at Rs 60 in wholesale market and Rs 70 in retail market and radish (Mooli) at Rs 60 per five kg in wholesale market and Rs 15 per kg in retail market. Carrot price has also come down, which is available at Rs 50 per five kg in wholesale market and Rs 15 per kg in retail market.
Eggplant (baingan) remained the cheapest vegetable during the week under review, which is available at Rs 100 five per kg in wholesale market and Rs 30 per kg in retail market. Egg price has witnessed an increase of Rs 10 per dozen from Rs 110 per dozen to Rs 120 per dozen, live chicken price has witnessed an increase of Rs 20 per kg from Rs 140 per kg to Rs 160 per kg and chicken meat registered an increase of Rs 30 per kg from Rs 250 per kg to Rs 280 per kg. However, prices of most of the pulses are stable in the market, while sugar price has decreased by Rs 3 per kg from Rs 60 per kg to Rs 57 per kg, per 20 kg bag of wheat flour is being sold at Rs 810 against Rs 930 a month ago and per kg good quality rice is available at Rs 135 per kg against Rs 150 per kg.
Traders said that steep increase was also witnessed in the prices of fresh milk and curd as fresh milk is available at Rs 110 per litre while curd was being sold at Rs 115 per kg last week. However, prices of some of the fruits have registered a decline during the week under review as banana is being sold at Rs 50 per dozen against corresponding week’s rate of Rs 60 per dozen, apple at Rs 70 per kg against Rs 100 per kg, guava is available at Rs 60 per kg against Rs 70 per kg, pomegranate is being sold at Rs 120 per kg against Rs 150 per kg last week.
Similarly, prices of readymade garments as well as unstitched cloths have registered a notable increase, a normal jeans paint which was available at Rs 550 in early 2013 is now being sold at Rs 750, a normal Shalwar Qameez unstitched suit which was available at Rs 1,000 is now available at Rs 1,250. Footwear prices have also witnessed a significant increase as normal quality of Bata or Service pair of shoes is being sold at Rs 1,500 against Rs 1,300 a year ago. Hotel owners have also increased the rate of per cup tea from Rs 15 per cup to Rs 20 per cup and roti price from Rs 6 per roti to Rs 7 per roti.
