June 2, 2002	Sunday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 20,1423

KARACHI, June 1: Except for poultry products, ghee and tomato, the prices of all main kitchen items remained generally intact in the last one month amid rising war fear between India and Pakistan.

Traders in the markets said that the prices of poultry, ghee and tomato have gone up due to demand and supply situation depending on imports and arrivals from local crops, otherwise upward fluctuations in prices cannot be attributed to any war like situation between two nuclear armed countries.

As the war fear between India and Pakistan still looms large, the retail and wholesale markets are yet to show any signs of panic. Traders have been doing their business as per normal days, saying that tension between the two countries has not compelled the consumers to go mad for piling up inventories at their homes.

“The wholesale and retail markets are still calm,” president Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Group (KWGG) and general secretary, Karachi Retail Grocers Group (KRGG), Farid Qureishi told Dawn.

“There is virtually no shortage of any commodity and markets have ample stock of 20-25 days to meet any contingency,” they said adding the consumers are doing their normal buying.

A similar kind of reply was received from president Falahi Anjuman Wholesale Vegetable Market, New Subzi Mandi, Haji Shahjehan. He said, “situation is quite under control and Subzi Mandi does not have any element of panic.”

Arrival of trucks, loaded with vegetables and fruits, from upcountry remained unaffected by the exchange of heavy firing on the borders, he said.

It seems strange that people and even general traders have not opted to build up stocks despite hovering war clouds. The general trend so far has been that people pile up inventories in war like situation in order to meet any emergency situation arising out of severe food shortage coupled with rising prices.

Coming to prices, egg became costlier by Rs3 per dozen to Rs25 while poultry live bird prices surged to Rs52 per kilo from Rs 50 per kilo despite scorching heat wave that shrinks poultry demand usually. As a result of this, poultry meat was selling in the range of Rs 90-95 per kg. Farmers linked the price hike to killing of birds due to rising mercury.

A monthly survey (from May 1 to June 1) shows that shortage of palm oil in domestic markets caused a price flare up of Rs30-40 on 16 kg ghee tins. Kissan ghee tin was selling at Rs720 as compared to Rs670-680. Other makers also jacked up the prices.

Palm oil became costlier to Rs1,590 per 40 kg from Rs1,450 per 40 kg in the last 15 days since the rising global prices to $392 per ton from $345 per ton.

According to SGS figures, import of palm oil in Pakistan rose to 91,360 tons in May 2002 from 56,020 tons in April 2002 but it failed to stabilize prices. A palm oil importer did not agree that the imports had risen due to escalating border tension in Pakistan and India.

Tomato prices touched to Rs16 per kg from Rs10-12 per kg due to end of Sindh crop. Its prices are likely to stabilize as supplies from Peshawar, Punjab and NWFP crops have started.

Onion prices remained unchanged at Rs12 per kg owing to frequent supplies from Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab and NWFP crops. Potato prices also held at old level of Rs8-10 per kg despite the fact that its wholesale prices have gone up to Rs7-8 per kg from Rs6 per kg in the last few days. Haji Shahjehan said that price of potato has surged as wholesale dealers are charging the expenses of keeping the commodity in the cold storages.

No fluctuation was observed in prices of ginger and garlic, selling at Rs40 per kg due to frequent imports from China as well as sizeable stocks from local crops.

Peas has, however, become dearer due to its off-season, rising to Rs35-40 per kg from Rs25-30 per kg. In wholesale market, it was selling at Rs28-30 per kg as against Rs18-20 per kg.

In pulses, no price change was seen. Gram pulse (Australia) was available at Rs30-35 per kg while mung was being retailed at Rs30-32 per kg. Mash, arriving from Burma, was selling at Rs30- 35 per kg. Masur was quoted at Rs28-30 while its high quality can be purchased at Rs34 per kg. Arhar prices held unchanged at Rs28-30 per kg. Frequent supplies from mills kept sugar prices at old rate of Rs22 per kg. Atta No. 2.5 and fine atta were selling at last month’s rate of Rs9-10 per kg and Rs10-11 per kg respectively.

Various varieties of rice depicted no change in prices. Irri 6-9 was selling at Rs11-18 per kg while the price of various varieties of rice was staying at Rs24-36 per kg. Kernal was being sold at Rs40-45 per kg. The minimum price of basmati was quoted at Rs20-28 per kg, while the lowest quality was being sold at Rs18-20 per kg.

The king of fruits—mango —has arrived in the markets with introductory price ranging between Rs16 per kg (low quality) to Rs30-35 per kg.