Essential items see sharp rise in prices ahead of Ramzan

Essential commodities have witnessed a sharp increase in prices ahead of Ramadan causing hardships to people looking to stock up for the holy month, a private source reported Saturday.

In Karachi, 1kg sugar is available for Rs105, chicken is being sold for Rs450 a kg, cooking oil is retailing at Rs280 per litre, while the prices of pulses have also witnessed an increase.

Similarly, the prices of sugar, chicken, fruits, vegetables, and other essential items have also moved up in the capital city of Islamabad.

In Gujranwala, the price of goat meat has gone up to as high as Rs1,200 per kg, as compared to its earlier rate of Rs900, while the rate of chicken meat has shot up by Rs25 per kg.

Meanwhile, in Peshawar, prices of fruits, vegetables, and pulses have increased on average by Rs10-15 per kg.

Over in Quetta, goat meat is being sold at Rs1,200 per kg after its rate went up by Rs100, and chicken is available at Rs420 per kg.

In Multan, the prices of sugar, ghee, fruits, and meat have also gone up in the last week.

Speaking to a private source, citizens said due to an increase in the price of the essential commodities, they are in a dilemma over what to buy and what to forego.

Shopkeepers, on the other hand, said the prices of essential commodities were moving up as the supply has reduced.

The Federal Bureau of Statistics, in its weekly inflation report released Friday, said inflation had reached 15.35%.

In the open market, the price of sugar has gone up by Rs6 per kg, the price of tomatoes is up from Rs35 to Rs70 per kg, and the price of chicken meat has risen from Rs380 to Rs410 per kg.