Daily Times

KARACHI: Prices of pulses in the country were escalating despite regular imports by the Trading Corporation of Pakistan’s (TCP), while private sector exporters preferred dispatching their produce on attractive prices in the international market.

The traders said that prices of lintels would not come down due to depletion of local stocks, rise in import costs and depreciation of rupee against dollar. They said that around 55 percent of pulses’ requirement of the country was met through import, adding that crops were sown in October and November and harvested in March and April, and when harvesting was completed for the new crop, the stock of last crop starts depleting, forcing the traders to import the commodities in order to meet local demand. They said the import prices of pulses were continuously rising, which were already expensive due to depreciation of rupee against dollar.

Members of Jodia Bazaar Traders Associations told Daily Times that retail price of pulse (mash) has reached Rs 240 per kilogramme (kg) from Rs 200 per kg, while its import price has also moved to $350 per metric tonne from $338 per metric tonnes. Similarly, they said, wholesale price of pulse (moong washed) has moved from Rs 180 per kg to Rs 240 per kg. Currently, they added, Pakistan was importing these commodities from Australia, Turkey, Syria, Thailand, China and Myanmar.

The JBT members informed that the price of super quality pulse (moong) has reached Rs 1,195 per bag from Rs 1,030 a few months ago, while retailers were selling the same for around Rs 65 per kilogramme. They, however, said this increase was seasonal as local stocks were depleting while the requirement was met through imports, adding that prices would be brought down soon on back of good crop. They said chances of good crop were bright due to amount of rain and availability of water needed for crops this season.

Meanwhile, the availability of sugar at utility stores remained out of the reach of the common man due to short supply and hoarding, the dealers attributed. The price of sugar remained between Rs 65 to Rs 67 at retail level. The wholesale prices of the largely used commodity ranged between Rs 59-60 per kg while the mill price stood at Rs 44-45 in Sindh.

A senior member of the Karachi Wholesale Grocers Association (KWGA) said the government should allow millers utilise all stocks of sugarcane. He said although the prices of sugar at international market were also going higher but “we are still in a position to import the sugar on reasonable prices from India and control the situation within a month”.

Another member of KWGA said a number of sugar mills are involved in extracting ‘gur’ out of sugarcane for export purposes, which would then be used in the making of liquour.

He said the unregistered buying of sugarcane was continuing in the provinces, resulting in uncontrolled price hike, adding that the government must impose regulatory duty on ‘gur’ as well.