Retailers said the rates of grains, pulses, vegetables and fruits shot up during the current week. None of the retailers was following the official price list as it is not commensurate with the actual rates of fruits and vegetables.

During a market survey, it was observed that only in one week before Ramazan the rates of consumer items have been jacked up by over 30 percent.The rate of sila rice has risen to Rs120 from its price of Rs105 per kilogram just four days ago while dal channa (gram) has also gone up to Rs120 from Rs105 per kg a week ago.

The rate of dal masoor recorded an increase of Rs5 per kg and it is now selling at Rs90 per kg while only a week ago it was priced at Rs85 per kg. Dal mash selling at Rs120 three days ago is now being sold for Rs130 per kg and dal moong has shot up from Rs95 to Rs110 per kg in the retail market. However, the price of Kabuli chickpeas dropped from Rs160 to Rs140 per kg after it flooded the local retail market from outside the country.

The price of baisan used for making pakoraa has also recorded an increase and is selling at Rs125 after being sold a week ago for Rs110 per kg. Red beans with an increase of Rs5 are selling at Rs110 per kg and black-eyed beans (safaid lobia) is priced Rs130 per kg while a week ago its price was Rs120 per kg.

The rate of onions has shot up to Rs30 per kg from Rs20 per kg last week. Tomato has also become costly by Rs15 to 20 per kg and it is now selling at Rs30 while potato has become dearer by Rs10 per kg and its current price stands at Rs30 per kg.

The price of white pumpkin shot up from Rs25 to Rs50 per kg while Chinese Okra is being sold at Rs50 while two days earlier it was selling at Rs20 per kg.

Other items which recorded abrupt increase are fruits which have now gone out of the reach of common consumers. Rates of some of the fruits have registered about 50 per cent increase. Indian bananas selling at Rs100 per dozen a week ago are now being sold at Rs200 and Rs250 per dozen. The rate of the local bananas is Rs150. Mango has gone up from Rs80 to Rs100 per kg, peach from Rs100 to Rs150 per kg, plum from Rs80 to Rs100, while Chinese apple is selling at Rs250 per kg.

“The prices have gone up, but there is no usual rush in the market as normally seen a week before Ramazan in the past,” a retailer Khan Wali said.He said the rise in prices had affected the purchasing power of the consumers and his sales had dropped by 50 percent.