Prices of groceries increased by 11.8pc in 2012

KARACHI: The average overall cost of daily household grocery items increased by 11.8 in the year ended December 31, 2012, according to the data compiled by Karachi Retail Grocers Group.

Mohammad Fareed Qureshi, general secretary of the group, said that prices of almost all household grocery items observed an increase because of weakening Pak rupee and increasing oil prices.

The highest increase was observed in wheat flour prices, which surged from Rs340 per 10kg sack in January 2012 to Rs425 per sack on January 01, 2013, i.e. an increase of 23.5 percent.

Pulses observed an average increase of 14.22 percent during the year, while sugar prices increased by just four percent from Rs52 per kg to Rs54 per kg.

The daily use spices observed an average increase of 10.2 percent, while retail prices of tea increased by 12.6 percent during 2012. The 950 gram tea pouch, which was sold for Rs525 in January 2012, is now available for Rs590.

A 5.0 kg tin of ghee or oil surged from Rs975 to Rs1025 during the outgoing year.

As far as rice is concerned, prices surged by an average 20 percent during the year. Retail price of colonel basmati super increased from Rs125 per kg to Rs150 per kg. Colonel basmati increased from Rs115 to Rs145 per kg, colonel shaheen from Rs100 to Rs125 per kg, wand basmati from Rs95 to Rs120 per kg, basmati sela from Rs105 to Rs140 per kg, basmati tota from Rs60 to Rs70 per kg, while retail price of irri-6 surged from Rs40 to Rs50 per kg during the year.

Powdered milk prices increased by 12 percent as a 1,000 gram pack sold at Rs560 in the beginning of the year stood at Rs625 in the end. Tetra pack milk prices observed an average increase of 12 percent during the year.

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