KARACHI, April 5: The consumers have either managed extra money or curtailed their expenditure on monthly budget for buying essential commodities because of the increase in prices of onion, milk, pulses, poultry birds, garlic, etc., in the last one month. Onion took a main lead in price hike, surging by 100 per cent to Rs24 a kg as compared to Rs12 owing to a shortage of the commodity in the wholesale market caused by twin factors -– import from India and crop damage due to rains.
Around two to three vessels arrive weekly carrying 300-600 tons each from India to meet the domestic shortfall.
“Onion import from India may continue for another month till the new Balochistan crop finds its way into the market in a month,” a vendor in the Subzi Mandi said, adding that importers were paying Rs2-3 customs duty on one kg of onion imported from India.
Loose milk prices also increased by Rs3 per litre to Rs28 from Rs25, as the city government has lost a battle against the strong dairy farmers’ lobby.
There are reports in the market that some of the city government officials were involved in a secret deal with dairy farmers and other stakeholders, giving them a free hand to charge an extra Rs3 on a litre. This could be evident from the fact that the city government’s campaign against milk retailers had finally been suspended on the excuse that its officers lack magisterial powers and dedication of the union council and town nazims to check prices.
A market survey from March 1 to April 1 revealed that garlic prices rose to Rs48 from Rs40 a kg because of costlier imports from Burma and Singapore. However, no change was seen in the price of ginger which is being sold at Rs80 a kg.
Poultry products, including egg, became costlier despite low demand. Poultry bird rose to Rs62 from Rs60 a kg, while its meat prices increased to Rs105 from Rs100 a kg. Egg prices went up to Rs36 from Rs35 a dozen.
The wholesale price of gram pulse had peaked to Rs32 from Rs29 a kg. The new crop is expected to hit the markets in the next 15 days. But the increase in wholesale rate had yet to make any big impact at the retail level as the price is still intact at last month’s Rs34 per kg.
Adviser to the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association (KWGA), Anis Majeed said the new gram pulse crop might range between 850,000 and 900,000 tons. “As soon as the new crop hits the market, the rates will automatically come down.”
He said rates of flour varieties dropped by Re1 or Rs2 per kg as the new wheat crop had arrived in the market, giving a new hope that the production would exceed by 1.3 million tons this year.
Wheat flour rates are now being quoted at Rs14-15 per kg as compared to Rs16 a month back.
Sugar prices dropped to Rs26 from Rs27 a kg, while the rates of all pulses have escalated by Re1 per kg in the wholesale level but its impact had yet to be felt at the retail side. Mr Majeed said moong pulse was being exported to India, while masoor was being bought from India.
No change was seen in the prices of various rice varieties. Potato rates also remained pegged to the last month’s level.
