Prices of essential food items remain steady

PESHAWAR: Prices of essential food commodities remained steady in the retail market. A weekly market-survey conducted by media here on Sunday revealed the prices of vegetables, flour, sugar, pulses, live chicken/meat and others were unchanged as consumers have complained authorities failed to ensure implementation of the official price-list in the market.

Prices of vegetables are sky-high in the open market.

Once again the price of tomato has increased, as available at Rs 200 per kg against the price of Rs 100-120 in the previous week as compared to preceding week.

Likewise, ginger and garlic remained unchanged as being available at Rs 600 per kg and Rs 200 and Rs 300 per kg respectively.

In the previous week, one kg onion was being sold at Rs 150 against the price of Rs 100 in the preceding week.

The survey noted green chili was being sold at Rs 120 per kg, the survey said. Lemon is being sold at Rs 400 per kg in the retail market, the survey said.

Peas was being sold at Rs 200 per kg, capsicum at Rs 150 per kg, ladyfinger Rs 100-150 per kg, Arvi Rs 150-200 per kg, turnip at Rs 100 per kg, eggplant (bringle) Rs 100 per kg, Zucchini (tori) at Rs 100-120 per kg, Tenda at Rs 100 per kg, cabbage at Rs 190-200 per kg, red-colored potatoes available at Rs 80-100 per kg while white-coloured potatoes are sold at Rs 70 per kg in the retail market, the survey said.

Buyers said prices of food grains, especially those which were daily use items in the kitchen, were beyond their purchasing power.

The soaring prices continue to break the back of the common man, they said.

According to the survey, prices of all brands and qualities of beverages also remained high in the local market. Black tea was being sold at Rs 1400-1500 per kg, the survey added.

A mixed trend was also witnessed in prices of pulses, according to the survey.

The survey said good quality (sela) was available at Rs 360 per kg, while low quality rice was available at Rs 300-320 per kg, while toota rice was available at Rs 200-220 per kg.

Similarly, the survey furthermore said dal mash was available at Rs 480 per kg, dal masoor at Rs 320 per kg, dal chilka (black) at Rs 320 per kg, dal chilka (green) at Rs 260 per kg, moonge at Rs 400 per kg, dhoti dal at Rs 400 per kg, dal Channa at Rs 450 per kg, red bean at Rs 440 per kg.