Some 96 members of Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA) on February 18 had closed down their units countrywide and suspended supplies to the markets to protest against the burning of four NLC tankers carrying edible oil at Port Qasim Area by miscreants. - File photo

KARACHI: The price of 16 kg ghee and cooking oil went up by Rs100 on Monday owing to disruption in supplies from the distributors in the markets.

Most of the 16 litre oil tins, which were available at Rs2,600 last week, are now priced at Rs2,700 followed by a jump in 16 kg ghee tin to Rs2,550 from Rs2,450.

General Secretary Karachi Retail Grocers Group (KRGG), Farid Qureishi said distributors of various ghee and cooking oil products have stopped supplies in the markets saying the stocks available with them have finished.

He said stockists and traders in the market are fully cashing on the situation by increasing the price to Rs10-15 per kg/litre in the markets in (loose ghee and cooking oil) instead of the actual impact of Rs100 hike on 16 kg/tin packs.

Some retailers were also seen charging Rs five more on one kg/litre pouch on various branded ghee and cooking oil products.

Some 96 members of Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturers Association (PVMA) on February 18 had closed down their units countrywide and suspended supplies to the markets to protest against the burning of four NLC tankers carrying edible oil at Port Qasim Area by miscreants.

Farid said that the government should intervene and resolve the matter between private oil tankers and PVMA otherwise the crisis would worsen.

“It will be severe when people will throng the markets on March 1, 2012 for their fortnightly/monthly purchasing of various items including ghee and cooking oil. Stocks available at the consumers’ end are fast depleting as well,” he added.