ISLAMABAD, Oct 20: Inflation recorded a double digit growth during the week ended on Oct 19 over the previous week, mainly due to the highest-ever increase in prices of two essential kitchen items, onions and tomatoes, according to the data released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) on Saturday.
The inflation measured through the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) increased by 11.86 per cent during the week over last year owing to steady increase in the prices of essential food items.
The SPI grew by 0.71 per cent over the previous week. This trend is being witnessed for the last many weeks because of shortage of some vegetables, fruits and hoarding of wheat flour etc.
A group-wise analysis of the behaviour of prices of 53 essential items prevailing in 17 towns of Pakistan shows that the SPI witnessed an increase of 0.79 per cent and 0.79 per cent, respectively, for households in the two lower income brackets -- up to Rs3,000 and Rs3,001-5,000.
For households in income brackets Rs5,001-12,000, the increase in the SPI was in the range of 0.76 per cent, while for the households in the income group basket of over Rs12,000, the inflation registered a growth of 0.60 per cent over the previous week.With this increase in SPI, prices of 21 essential kitchen items, including onions, witnessed an upward trend during the week under review.
According to the data, the price of onions increased by 10.57 per cent to Rs26.67 per kg as against Rs24.12; an increase of 6.42 per cent in tomatoes, which stood at Rs54.51 per kg during the week under review as against Rs51.22, potatoes 5.37 per cent to Rs19.41 per kg as against Rs18.42.
This increase in the price of these items was a result of massive exports to neighboring countries, including India besides shortage in the local production.
The price of chicken increased by 2.34 per cent to Rs90.11 per kg from Rs88.05, wheat 1.74 per cent to Rs41.61 per kg as against Rs14.36, 1.46 per cent in electric bulb 60 Watt to Rs12.50 each as against Rs12.32, bath soap 1.46 per cent to Rs16.65 per cake from Rs16.41; wheat flour 1.06 per cent to Rs16.23 per kg as against Rs16.06, egg 0.98 per cent to Rs48.55 per dozen as against Rs48.08, vegetable ghee 0.74 per cent to Rs91.17 per kg as against Rs90.50.
The price of banana increased by 0.72 per cent to Rs32.22 per dozen as against Rs31.97, masoor washed 0.68 per cent to Rs55.98 per kg as against Rs55.60, mustard oil 0.68 per cent to Rs100.11 per kg as against Rs99.43, beef 0.36 per cent to Rs121.22 per kg as against Rs120.78, red chillies 0.28 per cent to Rs122.33 per kg as against Rs121.99, milk fresh 0.21 per cent to Rs29.32 per kg as against Rs29.26.
The price of garlic increased by 0.21 per cent to Rs52.28 per kg as against Rs52.17, milk powdered Niddo 0.20 per cent to Rs145.29 per 400 grams as against Rs145, mash washed 0.16 per cent to Rs70.50 per kg as against Rs70.39, mutton 0.12 per cent to Rs232.96 per kg as against Rs232.67 and rice irri-6 0.08 per cent to Rs23.55 per kg as against Rs23.53.