Prices of essential food items remain firm

Essential food prices in Peshawar stayed high in the open market, according to a weekly survey that Business Recorder conducted on Sunday. Live chicken climbed to Rs390 per kilogramme from Rs330 a week earlier, a retail increase of Rs60, and cooking oil and ghee prices kept trending upward across several brands.

Sugar held at Rs152 per kilogramme, with no change recorded, while boneless cow meat sold for Rs1350 per kg, well above the Rs900 official rate announced by local authorities. Mutton sold between Rs2800 and Rs3000 per kilogramme in the open market. A 20-kg flour bag now sells at Rs3000 wholesale and Rs2900 retail, up from Rs2700 and Rs2500 a week earlier, while an 80-kg sack rose to Rs13000 at wholesale.

Onion sold at Rs100-120 per kilogramme, garlic at Rs200-250 and Rs300 per kg, and lemon at Rs400, down from Rs500. Rice ranged from Rs200-220 for toota to Rs360 for good quality sela, while pulses were unchanged in retail, with dal mash at Rs480 per kilogramme. LPG gas also remained costly in the open market, the survey said.