March 17, 2007	Saturday	Safar 27, 1428

ISLAMABAD, March 16: Prices of 16 essential kitchen items registered substantial growth during the week ending March 15, statistics division said on Friday. Most of the products, which recorded upward trend in prices included egg, rice, potatoes, mutton, ghee and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) during the week under review, and resultantly put a burden on the poor people.

The FBS figures indicated that prices of tomato increased by 5.39 per cent to Rs13.68 per kg as against Rs12.98; an increase of 1.89 per cent in bananas, which stood at Rs34.98 per dozen during the week under review as against Rs33.94.

The price of 11kg LPG cylinder price reached Rs587.88 per cylinder as against Rs582.29 in major cities of the country. However, the price of cylinder crossed Rs800 mark in upper part of the NWFP, including Chitral and Dir. Even at some places, retailers are charging Rs850 per cylinder from consumers.

The prices of red chillies were up by 0.71 per cent to Rs101.58 per kg from Rs100.86, rice irri-6 0.58 per cent to Rs19.16 per kg as against Rs19.05, 0.39 per cent in rice basmati broken to Rs25.57 per kg as against Rs25.47, potatoes 0.34 per cent to Rs11.79 per kg from Rs11.75; mutton 0.13 per cent to Rs225.50 per kg as against Rs225.21, milk fresh 0.11 per cent to Rs26.91 per kg as against Rs26.88 and vegetable ghee loose 0.04 per cent to Rs72.52 per kg as against Rs72.49.

The price of sandal gents bata increased by 25.06 per cent to Rs499 per pair as against Rs399, chappal bata 11.24 per cent to Rs99 per pair as against Rs89.