Inflation spirals as Ramazan nears

RAWALPINDI:

As Ramazan approaches, prices of gram flour, wheat flour, rice, white chickpeas, pulses, fruits and refined flour in the open market have surged by up to Rs1,500 per maund, while alarms have been raised for a second round of price hikes during the current week.

The price of a 79-kg bag of flour and refined flour has increased by Rs1,350, gram flour, rice and white chickpeas by Rs1,050 per maund, and red beans by Rs950 per maund.

In the open market, chicken meat is being sold at Rs680 per kg, eggs at Rs360 per dozen, mutton at Rs2,400–2,500 per kg, beef at Rs1,350–1,450 per kg, gram flour at Rs400 per kg, rice at Rs400 per kg, fine white chickpeas at Rs390 per kg, coarse white chickpeas at Rs430 per kg, fine red beans at Rs410–415 per kg, coarse red beans at Rs500 per kg, and mash lentils at Rs550 per kg.