KARACHI, Aug 31: With hardly three weeks ahead of Ramazan prices of some essential items like flour varieties, onion, gram pulse, tomato, kabuli chana, black gram, tea, and branded ghee etc have surged.

A random market survey of prices--carried out from August 1 to August 31--revealed an increase of Rs3 per kg in onion, rising to Rs15 from Rs12 per kg, owing to thin supplies from Balochistan area after the killing of Jambhori Watan Party chief Nawab Akbar Bugti on Saturday last.

Prices of all the flour varieties have surged by Re one per kg due to increase in wheat prices during the last one month, while the 10-kg bag of fine atta (flour) is now being sold at Rs160 as compared to Rs150.

Gram pulse rates have been under pressure for the last few months due to very low crop output of 350,000 tons this year as against consumption of 750,000 tons. A wholesaler said that the State Bank has now started giving subsidy of Rs8 per kg to the importers.

Some 50 to 75 containers of gram pulse, carrying an average 25 tons, had arrived from Ethiopia and Australia. Besides, India had also allowed export of black gram to Pakistan, which was suspended last month.

However, the demand for gram pulse will remain high while the markets may see some supply constraints, that might keep its price under pressure ahead of Ramazan.

Moong crop of 150,000 tons has finally hit the markets despite 25-30 per cent damage to the final crop owing to heavy rains in Punjab. As a result, its price has fallen to Rs53 from Rs63 per kg at the wholesale stage but retailers are bent upon charging higher rates of Rs68 per kg. Masur prices had been stable because of large arrivals of Australian masur in the market during the last three months.

Branded ghee makers have increased the rates of their products. Dalda’s 5-kg tin ghee pack is now priced at Rs415 as compared to Rs395, while its 2.5 kg tin is tagged at Rs215 as compared to Rs205.

Similar increases have been made by other producers due to rising rates of palm oil in world markets.

Leading tea packers have further enhanced the rates after continuous increase in Kenyan tea prices in world markets. Yellow Label tea 200 grams now costs Rs68 as compared to Rs64 last month while it was priced at Rs52 in April.

Kabuli chana and black gram are also very hot selling items for Ramazan. Their prices have also been under pressure since last few months.

Kabuli chana is arriving in low quantities from India, Burma and Iran at higher rates and prices are high because of rising demand.

Market sources said that hoarders had become active in piling up stocks of gram pulse, black chana and Kabuli chana to make windfalls on the eve of Ramazan.

Tomato prices are up Rs45 from Rs24 per kg. It had reached Rs80-90 per kg this week due to suspension in arrivals of trucks from Balochistan after tense situation. The supply has now somewhat been restored but still the arrival of trucks are lesser as compared to normal days.

Sugar prices had dropped slightly because of frequent supply from the mills, TCP and imported stocks in the markets.

Poultry dealers are playing a strange game in the market. Some dealers in the main bazaars are selling poultry live meat at Rs140 per kg because of competition while showing the rate at Rs90 per kg. The same meat in residential areas’ markets is being sold at over Rs160 per kg as retailers display the rate at Rs90 per kg for live birds.

Despite daily official announcement of poultry rates by two bodies, retailers do not follow the prices and charge the rates on their own depending on the buyers’ presence at the retail outlets.

K&N Chicken Company has also increased the rates of its basic products on August 27. One kg pack of drum sticks now costs Rs180 as compared to Rs170, while biryani cut pack of one kg now sells at Rs185 as against Rs175.

One kg boti cut pack is sold at Rs200 as compared to Rs190, while one kg pack of karhahi cut is being retailed at Rs180 as compared to Rs170.

The City government started pre-Ramazan price control meetings with retailers, wholesalers and stakeholders two days back that proved futile as the prices of main essential items had been going up since March and they continue gaining momentum as the holy month comes nearer day by day.