Prices of essential items increase ahead of Ramazan

PESHAWAR: Prices of essential food commodities have increased in the retail market ahead of the holy month of Ramazan.

A weekly-survey carried out by media here on Sunday, revealed that prices of sugar, flour, vegetables, cooking oil/ghee, live chicken/meat, dates and others have sharply increased. As two-week left in commencement of the Ramazan, hoarders and profiteers have become active and have started charging a self-imposed rate of the food items.

The price of live chicken has increased at Rs430/kg from Rs415/kg in the retail market. Price of farm eggs remained unchanged as available at Rs240/dozen and the hen eggs at Rs500/dozen, it added.

The survey said cow meat was available at Rs1100/kg with bone and boneless Rs1300/kg in the open market. Price of mutton beef touched at Rs2400-2500/kg in the open market.

The survey noted from Rs50-100 and Rs250 per carton increase in prices of various quality and brands of cooking oil/ghee in retail market.

Sugar price remained high as being sold at Rs130/kg in the retail market.

Tomato prices dropped as being sold Rs100-120/kg against the price of Rs150/kg in the previous week, according to the survey. Onion is being sold at Rs140/kg while some vendors and dealers charge a self-imposed price in the retail market. Ginger and garlic are available at Rs800/kg and Rs400 and Rs600/kg respectively. Green chilli was available at Rs120-150/kg, the survey said.

Peas was being sold at Rs100-120 per kg, capsicum at Rs200/kg, ladyfinger Rs200/kg, and curry Rs70/kg and Kachalu Rs150-200/kg, turnip at Rs50/kg Eggplant (bringle) Rs100/kg, Zucchini (tori) Rs80-100/kg, Tinda Rs100/kg, lemon was being sold at Rs200/kg, the survey said.

It added the Arvi was available at Rs200/kg, Karela (bitter gourd) at Rs250/kg, cabbage at Rs120/kg, red-coloured potatoes available at Rs100-120/kg while white coloured potatoes are sold at Rs70-80/kg in the retail market.

Price of flour remained unchanged as 20-kg fine flour sac was being sold at Rs2200-2300 and brown coloured flour sac at Rs1800-1900 in the open market. Wheat flours other products like maida, soji and choker flour also remained high in the retail market.

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 Rs1400-1500 per kg.

The survey said good quality rice (sela) was available at Rs320kg, while low quality rice was available at Rs300/kg, while tota rice was available at Rs180-200/kg.

A mixed trend was also witnessed in prices of pulses, according to the survey. Dal mash was available at Rs550/kg, dal masoor at Rs320 per kilo, dal chilka (black) at Rs320/kg, dal chilka (green) at Rs260/kg, moonge at Rs280/kg, dhoti dal at Rs400/kg, dal Channa at Rs280-300/kg, white lobiya at Rs340/kg, red bean at Rs440/kg, Gram flour (baisen) at Rs280/kg, big size white Channa at Rs380/kg, small size white Channa from Rs300/kg.

Flour, maida and choker flour, prices of confectionery items, beverages, baby-milk, milk powder, pumpers and others also remained high in the local market.

The prices of the fruits: Apple was available at Rs200-250/kg, banana Rs100-150 and Rs200/dozen, pomegranate at Rs300/kg, grapes at Rs300-400/kg, fruiter at Rs150-200/dozen, guava at Rs150-200/kg.