Rising prices of food items go unchecked

Price committees fail to enforce rates in special markets

RAWALPINDI:

The recent increase in the prices of petroleum products has led to an increase in the prices of food items.

Prices of ghee, oil, chicken, meat, milk, bread and flour have reached record levels in the local market besides an increase in the rates of pulses at utility stores, prompting an indignant outcry from consumers.

Sunday bazaars and cheap convenience markets have also jacked up prices of the daily use commodities, with Rawalpindi's 60 price magistrates apparently having failed to control their rates.

Read: Rising petrol price makes 28 essential commodities costlier

In the open market, live chicken is priced at Rs250 per kg, chicken meat Rs370 per kg, eggs Rs135 a dozen, mutton Rs 1,400 per kg, beef Rs700 per kg, milk Rs130 per litre, yogurt Rs140 per kg, cooking oil Rs450 per litre, ghee Rs420 per kg, flour Rs85 per kg, sugar Rs110 per kg, white gram Rs200 per kg, red beans Rs190 per kg, rice Rs190 per kg, potatoes Rs 20-35 per kg, onions Rs 20-30 per kg, tomatoes Rs90-120 per kg, garlic Rs300 per kg, ginger Rs190-250 per kg, cucumber Rs30-40 per kg, lemons Rs50-70 per kg, green chillies Rs110-130 per kg, capsicum Rs130-140 per kg, cabbage Rs40-50 per kg, eggplant Rs90-100 per kg, okra Rs130-150 per kg, French beans Rs130-135 per kg, turnip Rs30 per kg, peas Rs50-70 per kg, apples Rs80-200 per kg, guava Rs70-140 per kg, pomegranate Rs200-250 per kg, bananas Rs50-120 per dozen and kinnow and orange are being sold for Rs100-200 a dozen.

Roti made from red flour is being sold for Rs12 apiece, while leavened bread is available for Rs15 and naan for Rs20.

Multinational and local companies have also increased the prices of all products by 20-30 per cent.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2022.