KARACHI, Oct 1: Prices of essential items like onion, tomato, flour, ginger, garlic, gram pulse, poultry, milk powder, etc., have started crawling up ahead of Ramazan, starting in the last week of this month.
Onion prices surged to Rs9-12 per kg depending on the quality from Rs8 per kg mainly due to end of Balochistan crop. Onion prices at wholesale level moved to Rs7.5-8 per kg from Rs4-5 per kg. The new crop will start from this month that may bring some stability in prices, a dealer in Subzi Mandi said.
Dealers also attributed the rise in tomato prices to Rs15-20 per kg from Rs8-10 per kg to slowdown in supply from Balochistan crop, which had also concluded. Arrival from Sindh crop has started. Prices of vegetables fluctuate on demand and supply situation. Prices move both ways when new crop arrives and the old crop comes to an end.
A market survey of prices (from September 1 to October 1) showed that sugar prices surged to Rs20 per kg from Rs19 per kg due to holding back of stocks by millers. The millers are reported to have retained one million stocks from the old crop.
Wholesale prices of flour have also started moving up. The price of 80 kg bag of atta No 2.5 rose to Rs840-850 from Rs820, while rate of fine atta bag of 80 kg peaked to Rs910 from Rs880. However, the impact of rise in wholesale prices could only filter down on fine atta prices, rising to Rs13 per kg from Rs11-12 per kg, while no change was seen in atta No 2.5 at Rs11-12 per kg.
Makers of Nido milk powder also raised prices to Rs216 for one kilo pack from Rs207. Nestle’s Everyday one kilo pack price rose to Rs205 from Rs199.
In pulses, notable increase was seen in gram pulse to Rs26 from Rs24-25 per kg in many areas. Retailers can be blamed for making an artificial increase in prices before Ramazan despite no change in wholesale prices of Rs21.50-22.50 per kg coupled with ample stocks of 85,000 tons.
Poultry live bird prices increased to Rs60 per kg from Rs58 per kg while meat was being sold at Rs100-102 per kg as compared to Rs98 per kg. Egg prices went up to Rs29 per dozen from 26 per dozen.
Ginger and garlic prices posted gains to Rs40 per kg from Rs32-35 per kg last month. Potato prices remained pegged at last month’s level of Rs8 per kg as its wholesale prices were hovering between Rs3-3.50 per kg.
Prices of other pulses showed no prominent upward or downward movement. Price of moong (washed and whole) registered no change in prices, staying at Rs28-30 per kg. Its wholesale prices remained pegged at last month’s level of Rs20-24 per kg.
Wholesale price of mash also remained unchanged at Rs16-21, while its retail price was hovering between 24-28 per kg. No change was seen in masoor (whole and washed) prices at Rs30-35 per kg in view of no fluctuation in wholesale price of Rs26-32 per kg. Arhar prices remained pegged at Rs28-30 per kg as wholesale price posted no change at Rs22-25 per kg.
The markets saw no change in prices of various varieties of rice. The wholesale price of Irri-6 and Irri-9 was still intact at Rs11 and Rs18-20 per kg, respectively. Kernal Basmati Special price was tagged at Rs42-45 per kg at wholesale followed by Rs40 and Rs36 kg for No 1 and No 2 qualities.
