KARACHI, Dec 1: The retail price of pulses has returned to the pre-Ramazan level, rising by two to 16 per cent, while prices of poultry products continue remaining on the higher side. Some relief has come in the shape of 27 per cent and 60 per cent fall, respectively, in the prices of onion and tomato, but ginger, garlic and potato prices surged by 14, 13.6 and 6.6 per cent, respectively.

A random price survey from November 1 to December 1, 2005 reveals a 6.6 per cent drop in average wheat flour prices to Rs14 from Rs15 per kg.

Masoor pulse became costlier by Rs4 to Rs40 from Rs36, followed by Rs6 rise in moong price to Rs42 from Rs36 per kg. Mash was selling at Rs45 as against Rs39 per kg, while arhar rose to Rs50 from Rs45 per kg. Gram pulse rates increased to Rs28 from Rs27 per kg.

“The city government had fixed the prices of pulses for Ramazan, despite frequent increases in international prices,” a wholesaler said. The rates have now returned to the pre-Ramazan or September 2005 level.

He said the wholesale price of all pulses had increased except masoor and Kabuli channa that remained stagnant.

Sugar prices dropped to Rs27 from Rs28 owing to frequent imports and inventory of the old crop ranging between 500,000 and 600,000 tons in the country.

Poultry rates remained under pressure despite the fact that there has been no case of bird flu in the country. Poultry bird prices shot up to Rs80 on December 1 from Rs76 per kg on November 1, while its meat surged to Rs140 from Rs130 per kg. Egg became dearer to Rs49 from Rs48 per dozen. The rising trend can also be attributed to the higher demand in the winter coupled with serving of meals on wedding and valima receptions despite a ban.

Potato prices rose slightly by Re1 to Rs16 from Rs15 per kg, while ginger and garlic prices were now being quoted at Rs80 and Rs50 as compared to Rs70 and Rs44 per kg.

Onion prices fell to Rs8 from Rs11 per kg owing to frequent supplies from the new Sindh crop. Onion at wholesale is selling at Rs6 per kg.

A leading wholesaler and exporter of greens in Subzi Mandi said that tomato growers were suffering losses and the current price of tomato was far less than the actual production cost. At the wholesale level, its price ranges between Rs5 and Rs6 per kg because of over production in Sindh, followed by arrivals from the Sarhad crop. “An eight-kg wooden peti now sells at Rs25 only, while the actual price of empty wooden peti is Rs20,” the wholesaler said, adding that growers usually suffer when production of any vegetables goes up phenomenally in Pakistan. He said the government should come up with a policy to export excess production.

The new potato crop of Punjab has arrived in the market and the wholesale rate of potato hovers between Rs13 and Rs14 per kg. Ginger is arriving from China and its wholesale rate ranges between Rs60 and Rs65 per kg, while garlic (arriving from China and India) is selling between Rs30 and Rs35 per kg at wholesale level.

The average price of beef (with bones) has been Rs120 per kg, but meat sellers in some areas are charging Rs130-140 per kg. Similarly, the price of good quality meat is Rs240 per kg, but retailers in posh areas are charging Rs250-260 per kg.

Many milk retailers have started offering discount rates by displaying banners at their shops. The original price of loose milk was Rs28 per litre. Some milk sellers, after knowing that consumers will not buy for Rs28 a litre, have cut the price to Rs26 and Rs24 per litre. Similarly, some retailers are also offering Rs4 per litre discount on yogurt against its actual price of Rs40 per kg.