Prices of essential food items show a mixed trend

PESHAWAR: Mixed trend in prices of essential food commodities was witnessed in the retail market.

A weekly-survey conducted by Business Recorder here on Sunday revealed prices of vegetables, live chicken/meat, pulses, sugar and flour become dearer in the open market.

Price of live chicken/meat has increased at Rs455 against the price of Rs445. Similarly, price farm eggs has also increased as available at Rs300/dozen against the price of Rs280/dozen and hen eggs were available at Rs450-500 per dozen. The price of cow meat remained unchanged as without bone meat was being sold at Rs1000/kg and within bone Rs1300/kg, the survey said. Price of mutton beef touched at Rs2400-2500/kg in the open market, it added.

Buyers say vendors continuously charged self-imposed prices in absence of any price-control mechanism as local administration has been reluctant to take action against profiteers in the city.

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Price of tomato has decreased at Rs60 and Rs70/kg from Rs120 in the previous week. On the other hand, the price of onion has jumped to Rs180 from Rs150 per kg. Likewise, ginger and garlic are available at Rs800/kg and Rs400 and Rs600/kg respectively. Green chili was available at Rs120-150/kg, the survey said.

Prices of other veggie prices remained sky-high in the open market. Peas was being sold at Rs250-300 per kg, capsicum at Rs250-300/kilo, ladyfinger Rs150-180/ kilo, and curry Rs60/kg and, Kachalu Rs150-200/ kilo, turnip at Rs100-120/kg Eggplant (bringle) Rs100/kilo, Zucchini (tori) Rs80-100/ kilo, Tinda Rs100/kg, lemon was being sold at Rs200/kg, the survey said. Arvi was available at Rs200/kg, Karela (bitter gourd) at Rs60-70/kg, cabbage at Rs200/kg, red-colored potatoes available at Rs100-120/kg while white-colored potatoes are sold at Rs70-80/kg in the retail market.

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

According to the survey, good quality rice (sela) was available at Rs260-270/kg, while low quality rice was available at Rs250/kg, while tota rice was available at Rs180-200/kg.

Similarly, the survey furthermore said dal mash was available at Rs600/kg, dal masoor at Rs320/kg, dal chilka (black) at Rs320/kg, dal chilka (green) at Rs260/kg, moonge at Rs280/kg, dhoti dal at Rs320/kg, dal channa at Rs320/kg, white lobiya at Rs450/kg, red bean at Rs440/kg, Gram flour (baisen) at Rs280/kg, big-size white channa at Rs360/kg, small-size white channa from Rs300/kg.

Sugar was available at Rs150/kg in the retail market.

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

The prices of the fruits: apple was available at Rs200-250/kg, banana Rs100-150 and Rs200/dozen, strawberry at Rs200-300/kg, melon at Rs100-120 per kg, watermelon at Rs70 per kg.

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 added.