Prices of 27 commodities increase, 16 decrease and 9 remain unchanged in March

ISLAMABAD, The prices of essential commodities showed a mixed trend during March 2011 with the prices of 27 of 52 commodities monitored by FAFEN registering an increase, 16 a decrease and nine remaining unchanged as compared to the prices of these commodities in February 2011, according to FAFEN Retail Price Monitor for the month of March released here Thursday.

The 27 commodities registered an overall price increase of 4.5% and a total of 16 commodities registered an average price decrease of 4%. While the prices of important food items like potato (5%) and wheat (2%) also increased in March 2011, the highest increase was observed in the price of kinnow that registered a further increase of 20% in its price in the observed month. The increase in the price of kinnow and potato can be attributable to the end of the harvesting seasons of their respective crops. FAFEN monitors collected the prices of 52 commodities on March 10, 2011 at designated retail outlets in 118 towns of 79 districts in four provinces. Fruits like banana (11%), apple dark and golden apple (8% and 5%) and chicken, meat and live, (13% and 8%) experienced a further increase in their respective prices. Commodities and services like egg hen (9%), blood test, rice-Irri (3% each), kerosene oil, salt powder (2% each), mung pulse and prepared tea cup (1% each) all registered an increase in their prices in March as compared to their prices in February, 2011.

In the commodities registering price decrease, onion topped the list for March as well with 12% further decrease as compared to its price last month. The price of onion has been decreasing since December 2010 and has decreased from an average price of Rs. 71 in November, 2010 to Rs. 25 in March, 2011. The price of peanuts registered a decrease of 11% and that of LPG by 7%, respectively. The prices of gur (3%), desi shaker (1%) and sugar (2%) have been decreasing since the beginn! ing of t he harvesting season of sugar cane crop in November, 2010 (the main input in the production of these commodities) that is expected to conclude by the end of March. The prices of ginger (9%), tomato (3%) and cooked dal plate (1%) registered a further decrease in their prices in March as compared to their prices in the previous month. Prices of other commodities like garlic (5%), red beans (4%), chapati (2%), gram pulse (2%), gram black (1%), Panadol tablet (1%) and mash pulse (1%) also registered a decrease in their respective prices. FAFEN compared the data collected by its Governance Monitors with the Sensitive Price Index of the Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS), which revealed differences in the prices of many items collected from the same cities. In some items, the prices listed by the FBS were higher than those collected by FAFEN, and in some instances they were lower. FAFEN is a network of 30 civil society organizations working to foster democratic accountabilities in Pakistan. It is governed by Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability.