Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Shaukat Tarin on Tuesday underscored the efforts being made for keeping the prices of essential items in check and measures to ensure smooth supply of essential commodities throughout the country.
The minister was presiding over the meeting of National Price Monitoring Committee (NPMC), which was also attended by the Minister for Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood, besides secretaries Ministries of National Food Security, Industries and Production, provincial Chief Secretaries attended the meeting, said a press release.
The Economic Advisor Finance Division, Managing Director Utility Stores Corporation, Chairman Trading Corporation of Pakistan, Chief Statistician Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, member customs, Deputy Commissioner ICT and other senior officers also attended the meeting.
The Economic Adviser Finance Division briefed the NPMC about weekly SPI which increase by 1.35 percent as compared to previous week which was decline of 0.11 percent. 33 food items contributed increase of 1.30 percent, whereas 18 non-food items contributed increase of 0.05 percent to the SPI.
The NPMC was informed that prices of 23 items remained stable in the last week.
Whereas prices of 06 items decreased contributed decline in SPI by 0.17 percent. The items shown decline included potatoes by 0.05 percent, onions by 0.03 percent, eggs by 0.04 percent and other by 0.05 percent.
While prices of 22 items increased that contributed increase in SPI by 1.52 percent which included tomatoes by 0.97 percent, chicken by 0.40 percent, garlic by 0.02 percent and others by 0.13 percent. The NPMC was informed that Potatoes, Onions, Eggs, Sugar, Moog Pulse, Mash Pulse have shown decline in the prices during the last week.
On the prices of wheat flour, NPMC was informed that wheat flour prices in Quetta remained on higher side as compared to other parts of the country.
