• Roti price jumped from Rs15-18 in January 2022 to Rs25-30 in December • Milk price per liter in January was Rs130-140 compared to Rs190 in December last year • Government accused of not controlling rising inflation
Karachi: Prices of various types of flour, ghee, cooking oil, onions, utilities, petroleum and dairy products, rice, legumes, tea, etc. surge while prices of some green vegetables have recently eased. increased and consumers doubled. Living expenses in 2022.
Market stakeholders and manufacturers had no fear of restricting federal, state, and city governments from pushing prices up at will.
Samiullah Tariq, head of Research Pak Kuwait Investment Company, said 2022 is worrying in terms of higher food prices compared to 2008-2009. This is because the Ukrainian-Russian war negatively impacted global commodity prices, followed by floods in Pakistan.
Governments can control prices up to a certain limit, but much depends on the supply and demand situation, world food and oil prices, exchange rates, and supply from local crops, and consumers’ cost of living rises by 20%. He added that he did. – In 2022 he will be 22 percent.
However, Rauf Ibrahim, chairman of the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association (KWGA), believes that consumers’ cost of living will rise by at least 50% in 2022 due to higher food prices, electricity, fuel and utility bills. .
Wheat flour soaring shockingly
A random market survey to analyze the rising cost of living for people from January to December 2022 found that the price of 5kg and 10kg bags of high quality flour was Rs 420 and Rs 840-850. from 700 rupees and 1,400 rupees followed by a check. Flour rate from Rs90 to Rs140-150 per kg. Flour No. 2.5 is currently sold at Rs.85 to Rs.140 per kg.
Due to the unusually high price of flour, tandoor operators who used to sell naan for 20 and 25 rupees are now charging 25-30 rupees. Jan 2022 saw Nan available at his Rs15-18.
Chapattis price is Rs15 against Rs10-12, then Taaftan and Sheermal prices are increased from Rs50-60 to Rs70-80 per piece.
Large, medium, small and mini plain pans are currently priced at Rs200, Rs150, Rs110 and Rs70 compared to Rs135, Rs110, Rs75 and Rs50 respectively.
A 100kg wheat bag is available at Rs10,200-10,500 against Rs4,875. Consumers express surprise that from July 2022 to November 2022 he has imported more than 6.92 million tons of wheat at a cost of $2.24 billion, but literally A temporary reprieve could not be brought to the price of flour.
Consumers paid 190 rupees per liter for loose milk compared to 130-140 rupees in January as both Karachi Commissioners and milk officials were doing face-protecting exercises by scratching each other’s backs. and hurt consumers.
Without any checks from the government, multinational producers of tetra milk have enjoyed a field day to raise the price of 1 liter of tetra milk from 170 rupees to 240 rupees in January 2022.
Declining Sindh onion harvest in August and the arrival of expensive imported onions to fill the gap between supply and demand drove consumers to cut their prices from INR 30-40 per kilogram in January to INR 200 per kilogram. now pay for
Consumers recalled a huge shock when tomato prices jumped to Rs480 per kg in August amid massive imports, but ranged from Rs200 to Rs240 per kg in November. After the arrival of fruits from the remaining Sindhi crops and new sowing after the floods, the price of tomatoes has now plummeted to Rs50-60 per kg.
Edible Oil, Meat and Rice Prices Record Surprising Rise
High quality 1 kg ghee and 1 liter cooking oil packs are priced from Rs370-400 to Rs540 and Rs580 due to the rising price of palm oil in the world market and declining rupee against the dollar.
Rising oil and ghee prices are truly a nerve-wracking test for many who are either willing to risk using substandard products at a lower price, or buy less according to their requirements.
5 liter packs and 2.5 liter ghee packs of darda oil are currently priced at Rs 2,710 and 1,335 versus Rs 2,060 and 1,020.
Due to the lack of strict oversight from the government, the price of beef on the bone, mutton and chicken broiler (live) is Rs 700-750 per kg, Rs 1200-1400 and Rs 220-240 per kg.
Masoor, Mung, Mash and Gram pulse rate for January 2022 from Rs210-240, Rs180-220, Rs260-300 and Rs160-200 to Rs250-280, Rs250-280, Rs380-400 per kg , and rose to Rs220-260. .
Although there was a slight rise in potato prices to Rs60 per kg compared to Rs40-40 per kg in January, consumers a month ago saw a maximum increase per kg due to the arrival of new potato crops. I was paying Rs120.
Tapal tea pack (190g) price increased from Rs250 to Rs413.
Gasoline and diesel are available at Rs215.51 and Rs228.51 per liter against Rs145.31 and Rs142.12 per liter in January 2022.
The average price of Basmati Broken and Irri 6 rice increased from Rs110-130 and Rs75-90 per kg to Rs150-200 and Rs80-110 per kg.
The price of high quality basmati rice is currently hovering between Rs 380-400 as opposed to Rs 250-280 per kg.
Lifebuoy 115g toilet soap was available at Rs 50 in January compared to Rs 80 now.
2023 will remain challenging due to IMF situation
With the recession looming, many consumers have been forced to cut their daily grocery purchase requirements as they have received inflated electricity bills after fuel adjustment charges spiked months ago. rice field.
“2023 will be tough, especially in the first half, as Pakistan also implements IMF programs,” said Tariq of Pak Kuwait Investment Company. KWGA chairman Ibrahim said many people working on old salaries were forced to take credit from others to manage their monthly expenses, and many of them failed to pay their monthly school fees. He said that
Consumers are buying food as they need it rather than procuring it in bulk, he added.
The KWGA chief said amid looming clouds of national debt defaults, a severe dollar shortage, plummeting foreign exchange reserves and a strong dollar deterring goods from ports, the federal and local governments with huge cabinets said it was not serious about curbing food inflation.
“As 2023 gets more difficult, the government should invite businessmen, market experts, traders and businessmen to discuss strategies to pull the country out of economic collapse,” he said, telling political parties. , urged to focus on the struggling economy rather than the political struggle.
Published at dawn on January 3, 2023
