The prices of various pulses, including Daal Channa, Masoor, and White Channa, have been raised by Rs20 per kilogram at USC outlets nationwide. Additionally, Tota Basmati Rice has witnessed a hike of Rs12 per kilogram, while Super Basmati Rice has been raised by Rs10 per kilogram.
This increase in prices will go into effect starting tomorrow, Friday.
This surge in prices comes at a time when inflation rates are on the rise. According to data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), the weekly inflation, as measured by the Sensitive Price Indicator (SPI), has risen by 1.30% on a year-on-year basis for the week ending on August 3. PBS recorded an SPI of 271.56 points for the week, compared to 268.08 points in the previous week.
Out of the 51 monitored items, prices for 23 items have increased, 7 items have decreased, while 21 items have remained unchanged during this period.
The items that have experienced an increase in average prices on a week-on-week basis include Wheat Flour (131.40%), Cigarettes (109.57%), Gas Charges for Q1 (108.38%), Tea Lipton (97.71%), Rice Basmati Broken (82.86%), Rice Irri-6/9 (72.73%), Tomatoes (67.54%), Chilies Powder (66.74%), Sugar (64.12%), Chicken (60.51%), Gents Sponge Chappal (58.05%), Gur (57.75%), and Potatoes (55.75%).
On the other hand, prices for Onions (37.10%), Electricity for Q1 (18.06%), Pulse Masoor (15.07%), and Vegetable Ghee 1 kg (1.13%) have shown a decrease.
These price hikes and fluctuations in the market are indicating a challenging situation for consumers, as the cost of essential items continues to rise. It is crucial for the government to address these issues effectively and implement measures that can provide relief to the public.