20000404

Essentials'

prices

on decline

ISLAMABAD: The prices of 11 essential items have registered decrease, while prices of 27 items out of 47 remained unchanged on the week ended on March 30, 2000.

According to the sensitive price indicator (SPI) released by the Federal Bureau of Statistics, the SPI measured as a percentage charge over corresponding week of the last year, was 0.75 percent.

Among the occupational groups, SPI for industrial category for the week ended on March 30, 2000, was 226.65 as compared to 226.50 for previous week ended March 22, 2000 with 0.81 percent change over 0.07 percent registered on March 22, 2000.

Similarly for the commercial category, the SPI was measured at 229.05 points than 228.96 in the previous week on March 22 with a percentage change over 0.27 than 0.04 while government category recorded 226.32 points as compared to 226.16 points on March 22, 2000 with 0.73 percent change over 0.07 percent registered on March 22, 2000.

The cumulative percentage change for current and previous years in respect of sensitive price indicator and kitchen items index since 1st week of July were -0.01 as compared to 2.89 in 1998-99 and 3.22 in 1997-98 respectively while the kitchen items index was recorded at -1.30 as compared to 2.47 in 1998-99 and 3.53 in 1997-98 respectively.

11 items including garlic, tomatoes, eggs, onions, chicken farm, wheat, moong pulse, masoor pulse, bananas, wheat flour and red chillies have registered considerable decrease in the prices for the week ended 30-03-2000 over previous week ended on 22-03-2000.

While average prices of 27 items including rice basmati (broken), beef, mutton, bread (plain), milk fresh, milk powdered (Nido), vegetable ghee (tin), vegetable ghee (loose), cooking oil, potatoes, salt powdered, tea (packet), tea (prepared), cooked beef (plate), cooked dal (plate), cigarettes (K-2), Coarse Latha, shirting, Sandal gents (Bata), sandal ladies (Bata), chappal spounge (Bata), kerosene, firewood, electric bulb (60-watt), match box, washing soap and bath soap (Lifebuoy) remained unchanged during the last week ended on 30-03-2000.

Current prices of cement for the week ended on 30-03-2000 registered a decrease of 0.28 percent over previous week with a fall of 1.36 percent over corresponding week of last year.ÑPPI