 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
|
 |
| 10 to 60% increase in prices of kitchen items |
|
|
|
Transporters to charge increased fares from today
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Khalid Iqbal
Rawalpindi
The unprecedented increase in prices of petroleum products has affected the rate of every item of daily use.
A survey conducted by ‘The News’ on Wednesday revealed that the prices of different commodities have registered an increase by 10 to 60 per cent.
The Pakistan Railways as well as transporters plying buses and vans on long routes have also increased their fares by 8 to 16 per cent.
Shopkeepers have increased the prices of most vegetables by 15 to 50 per cent. Potatoes, which a couple of days back were available at Rs20 per kilogram, are now being sold at Rs30 per kilogram.
Similarly, the price of tomatoes has also gone up. They are now being sold at Rs54 per kilogram against their previous price of Rs32 per kilogram.
Onions are being sold at Rs22 per kilogram against Rs16 per kilogram. Ginger is now being sold at Rs80 per kilogram against Rs60 per kilogram. Pumpkin is being sold at Rs36 per kilogram against Rs24 per kilogram. Turnip is being sold at Rs40 per kilogram against Rs28 per kilogram. Ladyfinger is being sold at Rs30 per kilogram against Rs18 per kilogram, ‘Shimla mirch’ (capsicum) is being sold at Rs48 per kilogram against Rs30 per kilogram. ‘Karela’ (bitter gourd) is being sold at Rs45 per kilogram against Rs30 per kilogram. ‘Baingan’ (eggplant) is being sold at Rs40 per kilogram against Rs34 per kilogram. ‘Phool gobi’ (cauliflower) is being sold at Rs36 per kilogram, which was previously being sold at Rs24 per kilogram.
The prices of most fruit also witnessed an increase. The prices of mangoes have increased from Rs60-80 against their previous rates of Rs40-50 per kilogram. ‘Aaroo’ (apricot) is being sold at Rs40 per kilogram against Rs30 per kilogram. ‘Jamun’ (black plum) is being sold at Rs100 per kilogram against Rs80 per kilogram. Bananas are being sold at Rs80-100 per dozen against their previous price of Rs60-70 per dozen.
Talking to ‘The News,’ Mian Mohammad Basharat, a wholesale dealer, said “We cannot sell vegetables and fruit at old prices. We bring most vegetables and fruit from other cities. We pay heavy transportation charges.”
Due to an unprecedented increase in fuel prices, bakers and confectioners have also increased their rates. A small bread is being sold at Rs22 against its previous price of Rs18. The medium size bread is being sold at Rs30 against Rs25. The large size bread is being sold at Rs40 against Rs35. Biscuits are being sold at Rs120-160 per kilogram. A couple of days back, they were available at Rs80-130 per kilogram.
Milkmen have also increased the price of milk in twin cities. They are now charging Rs40-60 for one litre of milk. A few days back, milk was sold at Rs35-55 per litre.
Talking to ‘The News,’ Milkmen Association President Riaz Ahmad Gujjar said “80 per cent of milk supplied in twin cities is being brought from other parts of the country. The sharp increase in POL prices has forced us to increase milk prices, as we cannot afford to sell milk at old rates.
He said that the price of fodder has also gone up. “We are purchasing a 50-kilogram sack of fodder for Rs900 against its previous price of Rs750,” he added.
The prices of all brands of ghee and all kinds of pulses also witnessed an increase of Rs10 to 20 per kilogram. The 5-kilogram tin of ghee, which was available for Rs750 a couple of days back, is now being sold at Rs790. Pulses, which were sold at Rs70-110 per kilogram, are now being sold at Rs80 to Rs13 per kilogram.
The price of meat has also registered a sharp increase. Beef is now being sold at Rs150 to Rs170 per kilogram. Its price was Rs110 to Rs120 per kilogram a couple of days back. Mutton is now being sold in the range between Rs280 to Rs300 per kilogram against Rs240-250 per kilogram.
Talking to ‘The News,’ Al-Quresh Butchers Association (Rawalpindi) President Irshad Qureshi said “We bring animals from other cities. Now transporters have started charging us Rs7,000 per trip instead of Rs5,000 from Khanewal to Rawalpindi. So we have no option but to trickle down the impact of these rising charges to consumers.”
The wholesalers and retailers have increased prices on their own.
Meanwhile, transporters plying buses and wagons on long routes have increased fares by 8 to 16 per cent.
Talking to ‘The News,’ Rawalpindi-Islamabad Wagons and Mini-Buses Association President Malik Muhammad Sultan said “The transporters would start charging increased fares from today (Thursday). They would charge Rs15 stop-by-stop fare against Rs10 and Rs30 against Rs20 for long routes.” He warned that if transport authorities did not meet their demand, they would go on wheel-jam strike.
District Price Control Committee Chairman Haji Jamal told ‘The News’ that it was difficult to maintain prices in current circumstances. “Ever-increasing POL prices are damaging the whole infrastructure of the country and wholesalers and retailers increase prices of their commodities on their own.”
Talking to ‘The News,’ a social worker, Rana Akhtar Hussain, said “How could poor people survive in these circumstances when the government was burdening them with unprecedented price hike.”
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
