Prices of essential goods up by 45 per cent

With the commencement of the New Year, inflation has started rising anew and the prices of all food and essential items have increased by up to 30 to 45 percent.

Prices of pulses, poultry and eggs have reached record highs. The supply of cheap subsidised flour to utility stores, on the other hand, has been completely stopped. The prices of roti and naan have also risen due to increasing prices of flour, fine flour and gas, which has in turn increased prices of milk and buffaloes.

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Even Pindi’s weekly flea markets now appear to have become inflation centres. Meanwhile, the death of a large number of chicks due to extreme cold coupled with increasing costs of chicken feed and medicine can further increase price of chicken and eggs.

In the open market, live chicken is priced at Rs430 per kg, chicken meat at Rs 630 per kg, eggs at Rs400 per dozen, gram pulse at Rs300 per kg, white gram at Rs400 per kg, urid lentils (dal mash) at Rs510 per kg, ghee at Rs470 per pouch and oil at Rs490 per pouch.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 9^th, 2024.