February 04, 2009	Wednesday	Safar 08, 1430

KARACHI, Feb 3: Consumers are enduring sharp increase in sugar, rice, mung pulse and 16-kg ghee tin prices after having witnessed slight decrease in rates of few pulses and some flour varieties in the last month.

Retailers are now charging Rs42 per kg for sugar as compared to Rs34 in January 2009. The sweetener was selling at Rs25 per kg in January 2008.

The price of Kernal basmati super rice is now selling at Rs115 as compared to Rs110 per kg while Kernal Shaheen now sells at Rs95 as compared to Rs90 per kg last month. Wind Basmati and Basmati 86 are now being retailed at Rs90 and Rs55 as compared to Rs80 and Rs50 per kg respectively.

Basmati Sela is now available at Rs105 per kg as against last month’s Rs90 per kg while Irri-6 is tagged at Rs34 as compared to Rs30 per kg. The rate of 16-kg ghee tin surged to Rs1,420 as compared to Rs1,370 while there was no change in the rates of branded ghee and cooking oil produced by big companies.

Among the losers, the 10-kg bag of flour is now sold at Rs310 as compared to Rs340 while fine mill atta price dipped to Rs32 from Rs34 per kg last month. Atta no. 2.5 is available at Rs30 from Rs32 per kg.

Mung pulse (washed) no. 1 and no. 2 is being retailed at Rs55 and Rs50 as compared to Rs49 and Rs44 per kg. However, the rate of Masur no. 1 stayed unchanged at Rs122 per kg. Masur (whole) price dropped to Rs100 from Rs105 per kg.

Gram pulse rate declined to Rs60 from Rs65 per kg, while Arhar pulse price pegged to last month’s level of Rs82 per kg. Kabuli Channa (white gram) and black gram rates eased to Rs88 and Rs51 per kg from Rs90 and Rs61 per kg respectively.

However the above rates, compiled by the Karachi Retail Grocers Group (KRGG), do not match with the price list issued for February 1 to 15, 2009 by the City District Government Karachi (CDGK).

A few retailers have put on display the CDGK’s price list at their shops and majority of the consumers have been left at the mercy of retailers who are indulged in overcharging depending on the locality.

For example, the city government quotes the rate of Kernal Basmati rice, Basmati Sela, Basmati broken at Rs90, Rs75 and Rs40 per kg as compared to KRGG’s rates of Rs100, Rs105 and Rs45 per kg respectively. The CDGK list shows gram pulse at Rs55 as against Rs60 per kg by the KRGG. Masur rate is Rs108 as against Rs122 per kg by the group. Arhar’s official rate is Rs75 per kg while the KRGG’s price is Rs82 per kg. The official rate of Mung (washed) is Rs48 as against Rs55 per kg of KRGG.

White and Black grams prices are quoted at Rs85 and Rs55 per kg as against Rs88 and Rs51 per kg by the Group.

Karachi Wholesaler Grocers Association (KWGA) Chairman Anis Majeed said the sugar prices were rising after shortage of sugarcane and its surging price. He added that sugarcane price increased to Rs135 from Rs95-100 per maund last month.

He said pulses rates stabilised owing to fall in international prices. He added that market was expecting a good crop of gram at 800,000 tons this year as compared to last year’s 450,000 tons. Anis said rice prices had been on the rise after the TCP’s intervention in the market.