PESHAWAR: Mixed trend in prices of essential food commodities, including vegetables, live chicken/meat, sugar, flour, grocery items, edible oil, pulses and other was witnessed in the retail market.
A weekly survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday, noticed that prices have remained sky rocketed in the open market. Traders and vendors in the provincial capital have continuously overcharged buyers owing to lack of any check by the authorities concerned.
Asadullah, a buyer, told this scribe that prices of essential food commodities are completely beyond their purchasing power. He said it has been made difficult to feed poor families due to spiraling price-hike.
One kilogram of ginger was available at Rs1000/kg, against the price of Rs900/kg in the previous week while one kilogram of garlic was available at Rs400 against the price of Rs350/kg, the survey noted. The price of tomatoes remained unchanged as available at Rs60/kg from Rs70/kg in the retail market. The price of onion was reasonable as being sold at Rs80/kg.
Peas was being sold at Rs350-400/kg, green pepper at Rs100/kilo, okra Rs100/ kilo, and curry Rs60/ kg and, Kachalu Rs110/ kilo, Cauliflower at Rs100/ kilo, turnip at Rs120/kg Eggplant (bringle) Rs100/ kilo, Zucchini (tori) Rs120/ kilo, Tenda Rs100/kg, lemon was being sold at Rs120/ kg.
Similarly, arvi was available at Rs150/kg, from Rs130/kg, Karela (bitter gourd) at Rs100/kg against Rs70/kg, green chilly at Rs150/kg, cabbage at Rs120/kg, from Rs100/kg, capsicum at Rs200/- per kg from Rs180/kg, red-colored potatoes available at Rs 80-100/- per kg while white colored potatoes are sold at Rs50/- per kg in the retail market.
Likewise, a slight decrease in price of live chicken prices was witnessed as available at Rs365/kg which was selling in the previous week at Rs380/kg in the previous week in retail market. The price of farm eggs also increased in the open market, available at Rs320/dozen against Rs300/dozen in the previous week.
Cow meat was available at Rs900-1000 per kilo while mutton beef was sold at Rs2200-2500 per kilo in the retail market, the survey added.
Prices of pulses/food grains remained unchanged in the local market. According to the survey, a good quality (sela) was available at Rs340-350/kg, while low quality rice available at Rs320/kg, while tota rice was available at Rs160/kg and Rs180-200/ kg.
Similarly, the survey furthermore said price of dal mash was available at Rs570/kg, dal masoor at Rs320, dal chilka (black) at Rs320/kg, dal chilka (green) at Rs260/kg, moonge at Rs240/kg, dhoti dal at Rs320/kg, dal Channa at Rs280/- per kg, white lobiya at Rs260/kg, red bean at Rs560 per kg, Gram flour (baisen) at Rs280/kg, red bean from Rs450/kg, big size white Channa at Rs450 /kg, small size white channa from Rs400/kg.
Chemical mixed milk was available at Rs160-180 and others Rs200-210 per litre while yogurt was being sold at Rs180-200 and Rs220 per kilogram in the local market.
Fruits prices are sky-rocketed in the local market, according to the survey. The prices of apples reached Rs350/kg, persimmon Rs230/kg and banana 170/dozen, guava Rs150/kg, grapes at Rs250-300 per kg.
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.
Prices of dry-milk, milk powder and baby milk, pampers and other baby items further increased in the retail market.
Following the action by local administration, sugar price has further dropped at Rs160 per kilo from Rs165 per kilo in retail market while decrease from Rs1000 and 1500 per 50-kg sugar bag was also witnessed in the wholesale market, the survey said.
Prices of flour remained unchanged in the wholesale and retail markets. A 20-kg fine flour bag cost Rs 2900, mixed brown flour at Rs 2600-2700 per 20-kg bag while an 80-kg fine flour bag was available at Rs 11,800 in the open market, it added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
Source: Brecorder
