ISLAMABAD: After the government rolled out the budget for the upcoming financial year last month, an official government report has now unveiled a staggering rise in prices of basic commodities in 2019-20 compared to prices recorded in 2018-19.
According to the report, the inflation for the fiscal year ended on June 30, 2020 was recorded at 10.74%, whereas, the average inflation rate in the financial year 2018-19 was noted at 6.80%.
Due to the prevalent wheat crisis that has gripped the country, the price of a 20 kilogramme bag of flour now costs Rs204 more at Rs1,048 versus Rs844 last year.
One 20kg flour bag now costs Rs1,048, Rs204 more than the last year.
Similarly, sugar became expensive by Rs8.79 per kg this year after the price of sugar went up from Rs72.03 to Rs80.82 per kg during the last year.
The price of molasses shot up by Rs20 per kg.
Sugar now costs Rs80.2 per kg, about Rs8.79 more than the last year.
The rise in prices of rice was recorded at Rs6 per kg.
The soaring prices of vegetables and pulses
From July 2019 to July 2020, tomatoes became expensive by Rs27 per kg, whereas, during the same period, the price of banana increased by Rs3 per dozen and the cost of red chillies escalated by Rs109.
The price of tomatoes has increased by Rs27 per kg as compared to the last year.
In past one year, the prices of potatoes increased by Rs26 per kg, garlic by Rs3 per kg and the prices of pulses saw a whooping rise as Dal Mong costed Rs92, Dal Mash Rs68, Dal Masoor Rs34 and Dal Chana costed Rs10 more than last year.
There was an overall surge in prices of pulses recorded this year.
Meat, dairy products and other commodities didn’t fall light on the pocket either
With a massive increase in the prices of pulses and vegetables, dairy products including milk, ghee and eggs also saw a noteworthy surge in prices last year.
This year, milk became expensive by Rs7 per litre, whereas, the prices of dry milk were increased by Rs390 per gram.
The prices of eggs have increased by Rs33 per dozen.
The price of eggs in this time increased by Rs33 per dozen and yogurt was Rs5 dearer.
Ghee cost Rs50 more expensive per kg, whereas the cost of tea surged by Rs190 per gram.
In the meat category, the price of mutton rose by Rs80 per kg, and beef costed Rs41 per kg more than the previous year. The price of chicken increased by Rs39 per kg.
The price of mutton now costs Rs80 per kg, and beef costs Rs41 per kg more than the previous year.
