Ramzan Issue ir Electio a n F N 28 Commodities Register & e t w e e o r r k 2% Price Increase while F 13 Commodities Register FAFEN 4% Price Decrease r r A Report Based on Prices of 52 Consumer Commodities Collected at Designated o Retail Outlets in 172 Towns of 119 Districts across Pakistan in August 2011 o t t i i The price of 28 commodities including meat, sweeteners, kitchen fuels and milk registered an average increase of 2% while the average price of 13 commodities including some condiments and pulses, over-the-counter available n medicines and poultry products decreased by 4% in the mid of Ramazan (18th August 2011) as compared to the prices n of these commodities in the almost the beginning of this holy month (6th August 2011). o Despite an increase in the prices of a higher number of the observed commodities, the overall impact of the price o increase turned out to be lower than the price decrease indicating a slight increase in the prices of 28 commodities while a comparatively sizeable decrease in the other 13 commodities in comparison. The commodities that registered a price increase include banana (7%), plain chapatti (5%), black gram (4%), sugar M (45), Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) (2%), mutton (1%) and yoghurt (1%) while commodities that registered a decrease M in their prices include tomato (14%), apple golden (10%), Disprin (5%), chicken live (3%), garlic (2%) and potato (2%). FAFEN usually collects the prices of the observed consumer commodities on the 10th of every motnh. However, this month in order to assess the impact of the month of Ramazan on the prices of these commodities. The prices were e e collected from the designated retail outlets in about the beginning (6th August 2011 or 5th of Ramazan 2011) and in the mid of Ramazan (18th August 2011 or 17th of Ramazan 2011). It was observed that despite the fact that more c commodities register a price increase than a decrease, the average price decrease of the commodities was higher than c i the average price increase in the beginning as well as the mid of Ramazan. i In Ramazan, because of the increased demand of fruits the price of banana and apple dark red registered an increase r of7% and 3%, respectively, while the price of apple golden decreased by 10%, most likely because of the seasonal effect r that led to the supply of apple in the market. P Seasonal effect was also observed in the price of tomato that further went down by 14%. The decrease in the price of P tomato is attributable to its harvest in different parts of Pakistan. The harvest of the summer crop of potato led to a further 2% decrease in its price. The price of onion also went up by 1% during the observed time period. l Among rice varieties, rice basmati broken and rice basmati-386, each registered a 3% increase in its price while the l i price of rice irri-6 went down by 1%. i The price of plain chapatti and one of its inputs, wheat grain, went up by 5% and 2%, respectively. However, a decrease a was observed in the price of wheat flour, the price of which went down by 2%. a In meat, mutton and beef each registered an increase of 1% in its respective price. However, in poultry, the price of t chicken broiler live and chicken broiler meat decreased by 3% and 2%, respectively. t Pulses including black gram, gram pulse, chickpeas and masoor pulse registered an increase of 4%, 2%, 1% and 1% in e their respective prices and only white beans registered a 2% price decrease. The price of spices that include salt powder e and red chilies went up by 2% and 1%, respectively. In condiments, garlic and turmeric experienced a decrease of 2% and 1% in their respective prices. R Among kitchen fuels, the price of LPG increased by 2% while kerosene oil registered a 1% increase in its price. The price R of vegetable ghee registered an increase of 1% while the price of mustard oil decreased by 1% during the observed time period. The prices of all the observed sweeteners that include sugar, gur and desi shaker increased by 4%, 1% and 1%, N respectively. Fresh milk registered a 2% increase in its price that led to a 1% increase in the price of yoghurt and a similar N increase in the price of prepared tea cup, both of which use milk as an input. E The price of cooked items, cooked vegetable plate and cooked dal plate, each registered an increase of 2%, most likely E because of the increase in the price of vegetables, pulses, kitchen fuels and spices. Among medical services, blood test (complete picture) and blood sugar test increased by 4% and 2%, respectively F while both the observed over-the-counter-available medicines, Disprin and Panadol, registered a 5% and 2% decrease F in their respective prices. A The Federal Bureau of Statistics collects prices of 53 commodities for its Sensitive Price Index (SPI). Twenty eight of the A SPI's commodities are included in FAFEN's Retail Price Monitor. While FBS collects the prices of 53 items in 17 cities, FAFEN collects the prices of 52 commodities and services in a wider area of 119 districts. In some instances the prices F collected by FBs were higher than those collected by FAFEN while in some instances they were lower. F Issue: 062/Aug 2011 FAFEN Retail Price Monitor Detailed Findings Graph A: No. of Retail Outlets Monitored by Region During the month of Ramazan 2011, FAFEN Monitors collected the prices of 52 commodities and services in 150 constituencies in four provinces, ICT and FATA. The detailed findings are categorized into five sections. The first section deals with the prices of commodities that increased nationwide in the mid of Ramazan 2011 as compared to their prices in the beginning of Ramazan 2011. The second section deals with the prices of commodities that decreased nationwide during the observed time period, while the third section deals with the prices of commodities which remained the same on 18th August 2011 as they were on 6th August 2011. The fourth section presents a region-wise analysis of commodity prices between 18th August 2011 and 6th August 2011. The fifth section compares the commodity prices collected by the Federal Bureau of Statistics for their Sensitive Price Index and the commodity prices collected by FAFEN. 1. Commodities Registering Price Increase As many as 28 commodities registered a price increase from 6th August 2011 to 18th August 2011. Of the commodities that registered an increase, the highest increase was registered in the price of banana that further increased by 7%. The increased demand for fruits in Ramazan can be a reason for this price increase. The price of apple dark red also registered an increase of 3%. Among rice varieties, rice basmati broken and rice basmati-386, each registered a 3% increase in its price. The price of plain chapatti and one of its inputs, wheat grain, went up by 5% and 2%, respectively. Pulses including black gram, gram pulse, chickpeas and masoor pulse registered an increase of 4%, 2%, 1% and 1% in their respective prices. The price of onion also went up by 1% during the observed time period. In meat, mutton and beef each registered an increase of 1% in its respective price. The price of spices that include salt powder and red chilies went up by 2% and 1%, respectively. Among kitchen fuels, the price of LPG increased by 2% while kerosene oil registered a 1% increase in its price. The price of vegetable ghee also registered an increase of 1%. The prices of all the observed sweeteners that include sugar, gur and desi shaker increased by 4%, 1% and 1%, respectively. Fresh milk registered a 2% increase in its price that led to a 1% increase in the price of yoghurt and a similar increase in the price of prepared tea cup, both of which use milk as an input. The price of cooked items, cooked vegetable plate and cooked dal plate, each registered an increase of 2%, most likely because of the increase in the price of vegetables, pulses, kitchen fuels and spices. Among medical services, blood test (complete picture) and blood sugar test increased by 4% and 2%, respectively. Table 1: Commodities Registering Price Increase in the Month Ramazan (18th August 2011) (Comparison with 6th August 2011) Percentage Price Increase Percentage Price Increase th th th th Sr. No. Items from 6 August 2011 to 18 Sr. No. Items from 6 August 2011 to 18 August 2011 August 2011 1 Banana, Per Dozen 7.21% 15 L.P.G, Per Kg 1.58% 2 Plain Chapatti (Tanoor), Each 5.14% 16 Gram Pulse (Dal Chana), Per Kg 1.56% 3 Black Gram, Per Kg 4.36% 17 Beef, Per Kg 1.50% 4 Sugar, Per Kg 3.84% 18 Yogurt (Loose), Per Kg 1.40% 5 Blood Test (Complete Picture), Each 3.56% 19 Gur, Per Kg 1.32% 6 Apple (Dark Red), Per Kg 3.23% 20 Chickpeas (White Chana), Per Kg 1.31% 7 Rice Basmati Broken, Per Kg 2.99% 21 Mutton, Per Kg 1.30% 8 Rice Basmati 386, Per Kg 2.56% 22 Masoor Pulse Washed, Per Kg 1.15% 9 Blood Sugar Test 2.39% 23 Desi Shaker, Per Kg 1.14% 10 Cooked Vegetable Plate, Each 2.36% 24 Red Ch ilies Powder (Loose), Per Kg 1.13% 11 Salt Powder (Loose), Per Kg 2.27% 25 Prepared Tea Cup, Each 1.12% 12 Cooked Dal Plate, Each 2.07% 26 Onion, Per Kg 1.07% 13 Fresh Milk (Loose), Liter 1.88% 27 Kerosene Oil, Per Liter 0.78% 14 Wheat (Grain), Per Kg 1.59% 28 Vegetable Ghee (Branded), Per Kg 0.55% 2.