29 Commodities Register 8% Price Increase in April 2011

ISLAMABAD, April 30, 2011: As many as 29 consumer commodities including fruits, potato, rice and vegetable ghee registered an average increase of 8% during April 2011 as compared to March 2011, while 18 commodities including some important items like onion, tomato, poultry products and pulses registered an average decrease of 5%.

Of the 52 commodities whose prices were observed, the prices of five commodities remained the same, according to FAFEN Retail Price Monitor for the month of April released here on Saturday.

FAFEN monitors collected these prices on April 10, 2011 from designated retail outlets at 118 towns of 79 districts across the four provinces.

Of all the food items that registered an increase, the highest increase of 77% was observed in the price of kinnow. Its supply ended due to the culmination of its harvesting season. Other fruits like apple dark, apple golden and banana also registered an increase of 19%, 18% and 9% in their respective prices in the observed month. Seasonal effect was also observed in the price of peanuts that increased by 8% with the conclusion of the winter season.

The price of potato registered a further increase of 12% in the observed month. The prices of milk products registered an increase due to a 5% increase in the price of milk. Yogurt registered an increase of 3% in its price while the price of prepared tea cup went up by 1% during April as compared to March. A 1% surge in the price of wheat just before the arrival of fresh crop apparently resulted in 6% increase in the price of tanoor bread (chapatti).

Similarly, prices of cooked items like cooked pulse, vegetable and beef plates increased by 9%, 6% and 5% respectively. The increase in the price of these cooked items can be related to the increase in the prices of beef (2%), vegetable ghee (1%) and cooking oil (1%) that are among the major ingredients in the preparation of these items. Kitchen fuels like kerosene oil and LPG also experienced an 8% and 3% increase in their prices respectively.

Of the commodities and services that registered a decrease in their prices, tomato and onion, on average, registered the highest decrease of 14% each in April as compared to March 2011. Prices of pulses like gram black (3%), mung pulse (2%), white beans (1%), gram pulse (1%) and mash pulse (1%) registered a decrease in the observed month as compared to the previous one. In poultry, eggs, chicken meat and chicken live experienced a price decrease of 12%, 9% and 6% respectively.  Similarly, other consumer items like garlic (5%), salt powder (2%), mustard oil (2%), desi shaker (2%) and gur (1%) registered a decrease in their prices in April as compared to March 2011.

The end of the winter season led to a relatively decreased demand of firewood that resulted in a decrease in its price. The price of firewood experienced a decrease of 6% in the observed month.

About FAFEN:

Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN), established in 2006, is a coalition of 43 leading civil society organizations, working to strengthen all forms of democratic accountabilities in Pakistan. It is governed by Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability (TDEA).