By Aamir Shafaat Khan

KARACHI, April 19: The thrice increase in petroleum prices during the last one-and-a-half months has pushed up transportation cost of commodities, thus making an initial impact of Rs1.50 to Rs2 per kg in prices of essential kitchen items.

As such prices have been touching new peaks for the last few months owing to some other factors, the impact of rising transportation cost had mainly remained invisible.

Karachi Wholesalers Grocers Group Chairman Anis Majeed said that after a thrice increase in petroleum prices, there has been an increase in transportation cost by Rs8,000 to 10,000 per truck, carrying at least 25 tons of edible items, arriving from Punjab to Karachi.

He said that transporters usually quickly pass on the impact of diesel and petrol prices to consumers.

He said that at a time when there has been inflationary trend in the commodity prices, many wholesalers and dealers have to absorb the impact of rising transportation cost because any further increase in prices would hurt their sales.

Many new investors in the markets have started opening wholesale shops, but their presence is still thin in main markets.

Many departmental are offering commodities at wholesale rates and a large number of populations have been seen shopping in bulk quantities.

In many items, departmental stores offer a discount of Rs2 to 10, depending on items quantity and price.

Masoor, moong, mash, gram pulse and arhar sell at high prices of Rs85, Rs50, Rs50, Rs50 and Rs80 per kg, respectively.

Kabli channa and black gram are selling at Rs75 and Rs48 per kgs.

Rice prices have been hitting the country抯 highest peak in which Basmati premium quality rates are being quoted at Rs100 per kg.

Prices of various varieties of flour are already high, ranging between Rs23 and 24 per kg while Ashrafi 10kg bag now sells at Rs240-250.

Karachi Wholesalers Vegetable Market Super Highway President Haji Shahjehan said transporters from the Punjab have pushed up charges to Rs30,000-32,000 for 20-24 ft containers as compared to Rs18,000 ahead of March 1 oil price- hike, while 12-15 ton loaders of vegetables are now demanding 18,000-20,000. Earlier, they were charging Rs12,000.

The increase in diesel and petrol prices makes an impact of Rs3 to four per kg in various items, he said.

Karachi Retail Grocers Group General Secretary Farid Qureishi said a cumulative impact of the thrice increase in petroleum prices has resulted in an increase of Rs10 per 100 kg bag of various commodities by transporters.

Source: Dawn