KARACHI, Nov 5: Consumers will have to pay Rs12-14 per kg more for ghee and cooking oil during this Ramazan as compared to that of previous year as multinational companies (MNCs) have plainly offered an excuse to the city administration for any price cut.

The city government’s comparison of prices of other items indicates that out of 11 varieties of rice, prices of seven will be showing an increase of Rs1.50 to Rs5 per kg while of the rest remaining unchanged.

However, some relief has been offered in pulses as out of the total 23 varieties, only three will witness an increase of Re1 per kg during the holy month as compared to a decline in prices of 19 varieties by Re1 to Rs10 per kg.

Out of five varieties of dates, prices of three are kept unchanged, while one variety will cost more.

There will be a price drop in four flour varieties by 50 paisa to Re1 per kg in the current Ramazan.

Like previous Ramazan, the problem of ensuring proper price implementation still looms large. Retailers will enjoy free hand to fleece the consumers as the City government is bound to face hardships in implementing price stability owing to absence of magisterial powers to deputy district officer (DDO Revenue) and town municipal officers (TMOs).

Somehow, 30 complaint centres will be set up in which officials of the city government and defunct employees of Bureau of Supply Prices will challan retailers for overcharging and then Judicial Magistrates will impose a fine.

On Tuesday, traders, wholesalers, retailers and city government officials at a meeting reached an agreement on fixing prices of 115 items. The price list will be published on Wednesday. However, copies of various items retail prices was made available to Dawn by an official of city government.

A city government official said that loose ghee will be sold at Rs56 per kg as compared to Rs44 per kg last month while the five kg tin of Dalda ghee is currently priced at Rs395 as compared to Rs325 in last Ramazan. Habib Banaspati five-kg tin carries price tag of Rs385 as compared to Rs312 while Tullo light cooking oil five-litre tin will be available at Rs365 as against Rs310.

In case ghee and cooking oil packers showed any elasticity in prices by cutting Rs5 to 10 on 2.5 and five-litre tins, then consumers will still be paying higher prices in this Ramazan.

As a result of increase in ghee and cooking oil prices, bakers # and sweat makers are bound to charge higher prices. The price of khajla, pheni and phiki jalebi (made of banaspati ghee) has been fixed at Rs80 per kg from Rs78 per kg. Mix pakora, pheni, phiki jalebi and jalebi ( all made of Desi ghee) will be priced at Rs160, 160, 160 and Rs 100 per kg respectively as compared to Rs156, 156, 156 and 98 per kg respectively.

The official said that ghee makers have shown some compulsions for not making any price reduction this year.

In pulses, the retail price of basin No.1 and 2 qualities have been fixed at Rs31 and Rs27 per kg respectively as compared to last Ramazan’s price of Rs35 and Rs28 per kg respectively.

Kala channa No 1 and 2 quality price has been slashed to Rs30 and Rs28 per kg as compared to Rs35 and Rs33 per kg. The rate of Kabuli Channa special No 1 and 2 qualities have been fixed at Rs40, Rs32 and Rs27 as against Rs50, Rs40 and Rs35 per kg respectively. Gram pulse No 1 and 2 varieties have been tagged at Rs33 and Rs30 as compared to Rs35 and Rs33 per kg.

The price of masur No 2 quality has been enhanced to Rs27 per kg from Rs26 while the price of masur pulse (whole), No 1 and 2 qualities have been surged to Rs29 and Rs27 as compared to Rs28 and Rs26 per kg. Gur No 1 and 2 qualities are on the higher side with Rs23 and Rs20 per kg from Rs22 and Rs19.

The price of Arhar no.1 and no.2 quality has been kept lower to Rs 31 and Rs 28 from Rs 35 and Rs 29, while mash pulse (whole) price has been dropped to Rs 25 per kg from Rs 35.

In rice, consumers will pay Rs1.50 per kg more to buy Irri old at Rs12 per kg from Rs10.50 per kg. Irri-9 (Punjab) price has been fixed at Rs18 per kg from Rs13 per kg. The price of basmati No 1, 2 and 3 varieties has been kept on higher side at Rs28, 26 and 24 from Rs25, 22 and 21 per kg. Basmati Sela (I and II variety) price has been increased to Rs28 and Rs26 per kg from Rs22 and Rs21 per kg. No change is seen in price of Basmati Tota (I and II) at Rs19 and Rs17. Same price has been kept of Kernal (I and II) at Rs32 and Rs30 per kg.

Only one variety of dates (Mazafati) price has been increased to Rs52 per kg from Rs50 per kg. The price of Zahidi Irani, Zahidi Basra and Begum Jangi Mekran are unchanged at Rs36, 30 and 24 per kg.

The city government has somehow succeeded in fixing the rate of flour varieties to lower side as compared to previous Ramazan. Fine atta will be available at Rs11 per kg as compared to Rs11.50 while atta No 2.5 will be sold at Rs9 per kg as against Rs10 per kg. A 10-kg bag of fine atta will be retailed at Rs115 as compared to Rs118. The price of sooji and maida are unchanged at Rs13 per kg. No package has been offered yet by the leading tea packers and juice and squash makers.