Lax Enforcement Prompts Increase in Prices of Flour, Chicken, and Meat - Press Release issued by Free and Fair Election Network.

Islamabad -- June 24, 2020 (PPI-OT)

Following is the text of press release issued by Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN)

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As the financial year 2019-2020 headed for a close, market prices of essential commodities, including wheat flour, chicken, and meat continued to increase in various parts of the country. FAFEN's Weekly Price Monitor found that the increase in market prices was not consistent with the officially notified prices, indicating weak monitoring and enforcement by government authorities.

On average, chicken's market price rose 59 percent, followed by flour (17 percent), mutton (seven percent), and sugar (five percent) over last eight weeks. A comparison in the average prices of these six commodities reported on April 23 and June 18, 2020, shows the market rate of a 20-kilogram wheat flour bag increased by 17 percent compared to a four percent increase in official price. The most notable rise was in the price of chicken which shot up by 59 percent over eight weeks.

The following graph shows the percentage increase in average official and market prices of six essential commodities:

However, the change in the prices has been uneven across the districts. For instance, Karachi South reported an increase of 42 percent in sugar's market price over past eight weeks, yet in Lahore, the sugar prices decreased by three percent while it remained stable in Peshawar. Similarly, wheat flour prices increased in most KP and Punjab districts, but registered a decrease in Dadu and Dera Bugti.

Overall, Lahore recorded a 33 percent increase in market prices of mutton, 21 percent in wheat flour, and eight percent in Mash despite no change in official prices of these commodities. The chicken prices went up by 34 percent in open market as compared to 28 percent increase in official prices. In Karachi South, the market price of mutton increased by 34 percent in eight weeks, yet its official prices remained unchanged while the wheat flour prices were increased by 18 percent despite a seven percent decrease in official prices.

Moreover, the chicken went up by 53 percent in open market whence its official rates had registered an increase of only one percent since April 23. Following figures show the changes in market and official prices of six key commodities in Lahore, Karachi South, and Peshawar. (The official prices of these commodities were unavailable in Peshawar.)

These findings form part of the eighth Weekly Price Monitor based on a market...