ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: Price of 17 kitchen items including tomatoes registered massive increase during the week ended on Feb 16, 2007, statistics division said on Saturday.

Among the essential items, the price of tomatoes surged by 23.55 per cent to Rs13.22 per kg during the week as against Rs10.70 in the previous week.

Moreover, an increase of 7.04 per cent was witnessed in the price of match box as it stood at Rs0.76 per box as against Rs0.71; the price of basmati rose by 4.33 per cent to Rs23.15 per kg as against Rs22.19; price of irri-6 rice rose by 4.25 per cent to Rs17.68 per kg as against Rs16.96.

The price of bananas up by 2.65 per cent to Rs32.98 per dozen during the week under review as against Rs32.13; potatoes rose by 2.38 per cent to Rs12.46 per kg from Rs12.17; mash pulse washed up 1.72 per cent to Rs71.59 per kg as against Rs70.38, 1.62 percent rise in chicken bird to Rs70.92 per kg as against Rs69.79, mustard oil up 1.01 per cent to Rs80.77 per kg from Rs79.96.

The price of firewood up by 0.90 per cent to Rs197.52 per 40 kg as against Rs195.76, salt powdered up 0.64 per cent to Rs4.74 per kg as against Rs4.71, masoor pulse washed up 0.55 per cent to Rs47.25 per kg as against Rs46.99, beef rose 0.50 per cent to Rs118.67 per kg as against Rs118.08, cooked dal plate up 0.28 per cent to Rs17.99 each as against Rs17.94.

The price of wheat flour increased by 0.14 per cent to Rs13.92 per kg as against Rs13.90, milk fresh up 0.08 per cent to Rs26.58 per kg as against Rs26.56 and vegetable ghee loose rose by 0.08 per cent to Rs72.18 per kg as against Rs72.12.