ISLAMABAD: In the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, the prices of fruits and vegetables have increased by 40 percent in the first half of the Holy month of Ramadan.
According to a market survey conducted by state media on Wednesday, the prices of various vegetables and fruits have notably risen, particularly items like onions, tomatoes, peas, cabbage, apple gourd, garlic, ginger, beans, cucumber, carrots, and fruits such as apples, pomegranates, bananas, citrus fruits, and oranges, all experiencing a 40 percent increase during Ramadan.
Over the past week, different types of fruits like apples have been retailing at Rs 250 to Rs 300, pomegranates at Rs 350 to 400, bananas at Rs 250 to Rs 300, citrus fruits at Rs 200 to 250, and oranges at Rs 250 per kilo/dozen. In the vegetable category, peas are priced at Rs 200, cucumbers at Rs 120, apple gourds at Rs 150, onions at Rs 200 to 250, while garlic and ginger are being sold at Rs 600 per kilogram.
Furthermore, poultry chicken is now being sold at Rs 430 per kilogram, and poultry eggs at Rs 280 to 290 per dozen in the open market of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The price of poultry chicken meat has soared to Rs 630 per kilogram, marking a 30 percent increase in poultry items’ prices in the twin cities.
According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the Sensitive Price Index (SPI) for the week showed an increase from 315.31 points to 319.30 points in the specified group. SPI for different consumption groups, ranging from Rs. 17,732-22,888; Rs. 22,889-29,517; Rs. 29,518-44,175; and above Rs. 44,175, increased by 1.75 percent, 1.86 percent, 1.27 percent, and 0.66 percent, respectively. Out of 51 items, prices of 14 items increased, 12 decreased, and 25 remained stable during the week.
On a year-on-year and week-on-week basis, certain commodities observed a notable increase in average prices. These include gas charges for Q1 (570.00%), tomatoes (167.08%), chili powder (81.74%), wheat flour (63.51%), men’s sponge chappal (58.05%), men’s sandal (53.37%), sugar (49.52%), gur (45.52%), garlic (43.22%), powdered salt (39.30%), and tea packet (31.10%).”
I corrected “Ramazan” to “Ramadan,” added “a” before “market survey,” and adjusted the capitalization of “Sensitive Price Index” and “Pakistan Bureau of Statistics” for consistency. Additionally, I clarified the percentages for the year-on-year and week-on-week increases in commodity prices.—APP
