Food inflation baffles twin cities’ residents
The prices of fruits and vegetables in the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have increased by 25 to 30 per cent in the last two months or so.
A market survey shows that the prices of onions, tomatoes, peas, cabbage, apple gourd, garlic, ginger, beans, cucumber, carrots, apples, pomegranates, bananas, citrus, and oranges, have surged by 25 to 30 per cent from the last two months.
Since last week, various varieties of fruits, including apples, have been sold at Rs250 to Rs300 per kilograms, pomegranates Rs300 to Rs350 per kg, bananas Rs120 to Rs150 per kg, citrus Rs200 to Rs250 per kg, while oranges have been sold at Rs250 to Rs300 per kg/dozen. Similarly, among vegetables, peas cost Rs200 to Rs250 per kg, cucumbers Rs120 to 140 per kg, apple gourds Rs150 to 160 per kg, onions Rs170 to 180 per kg, and garlic and ginger cost Rs540 to Rs580 per kg.
The survey further reveals that the price of poultry chicken has reached Rs460 to Rs470 per kg, poultry chicken meat Rs800 to Rs810 per kg, and the price of poultry eggs reached Rs420 to Rs430 per dozen in the open market.
The prices of poultry items have increased by 20% in the twin cities in the last one month. During the last three months, a 25% increase was witnessed in the prices of poultry chicken, and 35% in the prices of poultry eggs.
The Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) has called for a further increase in the prices of chicken. Poultry feed industrialists and former office-bearer of the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr Sarosh, say that the price of soybean, included in the basic ingredients of poultry feed, in increasing.
Citizens have expressed their concerns over increased prices of food items and poultry. Asif Ali said that food and beverage prices have been increasing every day since last year, affecting badly the purchasing power of the common man.
Uzma Pareen, a school teacher, was of the view that the middle class was extremely worried about the rising inflation, advising the administration to implement a price control mechanism.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 9th 2024.