A comparison of market prices prevailed 15 days prior to the announcement of budget for 2006-07 and 2007-08 (likely to be made public on June 9) has revealed that common man has suffered a huge burden on their hard-earned incomes following increase in almost all the kitchen items particularly flour varieties, rice, tea, ghee and cooking oil, powder milk, beef etc.
Sugar is currently being retailed at Rs30 per kg as compared with Rs36-37 per kg ahead of last year’s budget announcement. Price of various flour varieties had surged by Re1 per kg in the last one year.
In case of rice, there has been a phenomenal jump in all varieties by an average Rs10 per kg in February 2007 followed by another rise of Rs2-3 per kg in the first week of May owing to record increase in exports of the commodity.
If compared with last year, basmati premium and basmati broken were available at Rs46 and Rs22 per kg as compared to their current rates of Rs60-65 and Rs32 per kg respectively.
In fresh milk, the city government’s half-hearted and illplanned efforts in the last few months has virtually given a free hand to dairy farmers for pushing up the fresh milk rate. Currently fresh milk is being retailed at Rs32-34 per litre as compared to Rs30 last year.
Tetra milk producers have followed the suit in increasing the rates phenomenally in the last one year. Same is the case with powdered milk. For example, Nido one-kg pouch now sells at Rs295 as compared to Rs240 last year. Everyday tea whitener is now available at Rs240 as compared to current rate of Rs275.
Rising palm olien prices in world markets (from $462 per ton in July 2006 to $805 per ton in May 2007) have forced the manufacturers to pass on the impact to the consumers. From September 2006 to May 2007, branded ghee and cooking oil makers have pushed up the rates by four times.
For example Dalda five-kg ghee tin was available at Rs395 in June last year as compared to current rate of Rs498. Last year in May, 16-kg ghee tin was priced at Rs840 as compared to current rate of Rs1,180.
Tea makers have also pushed up the rates owing to rising international prices in Kenya. Tapal Danedar 200-gram and Lipton Yellow Label are now priced at Rs59 and Rs68 as compared to Rs55 and Rs64.
In flour varieties, rates of wheat flour no.2.5, atta fine mill and atta chakki are now being retailed at Rs15, 16 and Rs17 per kg as compared to Rs14, Rs15 and Rs16 last year.
The government on Wednesday suspended wheat exports after taking notice of increase in local prices of wheat flour in the last one week following heavy exports by the private sector.
Beef with bones now costs Rs150 as compared to Rs140 per kg last year while boneless price ranges between Rs180-200 per kg as compared with Rs170 per kg last year.
In pulses, only masur price has surged to Rs42 per kg as compared to Rs36 per kg last year while gram pulse rate has dropped to Rs35 from Rs38 per kg followed by easing of moong and mash prices to Rs58 and Rs55 per kg from Rs60 and Rs68 per kg last year.
Chairman Karachi Wholesaler Grocers Association (KWGA) Anis Majeed talking to Dawn urged the government to reduce the withholding tax on import of pulses up to 0.25 per cent as it would help in reducing local price.
It seems that the federal, provincial and city governments are least bothered in rescuing the consumers and their efforts and policies in curbing food inflation have proved a failure so far.
