Consumers squeezed by high prices in 2021 hope for some relief in New Year

Islamabad : It is an open secret that the sitting government has crushed a common man through its wrong policies and broken the back of the public with ever-increasing inflation in 2021 but people belonging to all walks of life particularly the poor segment of society hope the New Year will bring them some sort of relief.

Prices are continuously surging and that too at a rapid pace burdening millions of low to middle-income households and raising risks to the economy in the country. Pakistan Bureau of Statistic (Pricing) Director Muhammad Naseer told ‘The News’ that people faced record inflation in 2021. The inflation ratio from July 2021 to November 2021 was 9.32 per cent.

‘The News’ collected data from different departments that inflation has broken the back of a common man in the country in 2021. All kinds of items particularly eatables went out of reach for a common man. The prices of ghee and cooking oil jumped up by Rs200 to Rs220 per kilogram in one year. Presently, one kilogram branded ghee and cooking oil is selling at Rs400. In 2020, one kilogram branded ghee/cooking oil was sold at Rs180-Rs200 while low-quality ghee/cooking oil was easily available at Rs120 to Rs150.

All Pakistan Vanaspati Manufacturer Association (APVMA) Chairman Abdul Waheed said that ghee/cooking oil prices are linked with dollar rates therefore prices jumped too much in 2021. He has admitted that ghee/cooking oil rates increased by Rs200 to Rs220 per kilogram in 2021. If the government will not take steps to stop the depreciation of the rupee against the dollar, ghee and cooking oil prices would further increase in 2022, he warned.

The price of the most important item ‘atta’ also witnessed a rise of Rs215 on a 20-kilogram bag in 2021. In 2020, the ex-mill rate of a 20-kilogram bag ‘atta’ was Rs860 but in 2021 the Punjab government increased its prices and fixed the ex-mill rate at Rs1075. But in retail shops, a 20-kilogram bag of ‘atta’ is available at different prices ranging from Rs1250 to Rs1600.

District Food Controller (DFC) Spokesman Muhammad Ali said that the price of a 20-kg ‘atta’ bag increased by Rs215 in 2021. Punjab government fixed ex-mill rate of a 20-kilogram bag ‘atta’ at Rs1075 against Rs860, he said. Similarly price of a tea pack of 950 grams increased by Rs210 in one year and it is now sold at Rs1,100 against the previous rate of Rs890 in 2020. The prices of all brands of washing powders increased by Rs80 in one year from Rs270 to Rs350 per kilogram.

The prices of all pulses have increased by Rs40 to Rs100 per kilogram in one year. Now Daal Masar is being sold at Rs220 against Rs120 in 2020, Daal Mash is available at Rs260 in 2021 against Rs180 in 2020, Black Chickpeas are being sold at Rs160 in 2021 against Rs120 in 2020, White Chickpeas are being sold at Rs200 per kilogram in 2021 against Rs120 in 2020. All Pakistan Pulses Wholesale Dealers Association (APPWDA) has warned to further price increase on all kinds of pulses in the coming days. If government did not take a decision to import pulses from foreign countries in time, we would face the worst shortage of pulses in the coming days, they warned.

The Punjab government has increased the prices of mutton by Rs200 per kilogram and beef by Rs200 per kilogram in 2021. The Punjab government has fixed one-kilogram mutton at Rs1,200 and beef at Rs650 but butchers are selling mutton at Rs1600 and beef at Rs700.

The chicken prices have permanently increased by Rs100 to Rs150 per kilogram in 2021. One kilogram of chicken meat was easily available at Rs150 to Rs200 in 2020 but now it is available at Rs250 to Rs350 in the whole year of 2021.

The PTI government badly failed to control sugar prices in 2021 therefore profiteers and hoarders looted the public both hands. One kilogram of sugar is selling at Rs90 to Rs150 in open market shops. The eggs have prices increased by Rs70 in one year that one dozen eggs are selling at Rs190 in 2021 against Rs120 in 2020.

The prices of all kinds of children’s dry milk powder increased by Rs200 to Rs230 on 1-kg while prices of children’s toffees, chocolates, biscuits, bubble gums, etc. increased by Rs5 to Rs20 in one year. The milkmen increased milk prices by Rs40 from Rs90 to Rs130 in 2021. The ‘roti’ prices have increased by Rs2 from Rs10 to Rs12 and ‘naan’ prices by Rs5 from Rs10 to Rs15 in 2021.

According to Islamabad Electricity Supply Company (Iesco), the PTI government has increased Rs3.40 per unit of power in 2021.