Business Desk 
Nov 06, 2024
The recent slash of 2.5%in policy rate by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) led experts to express optimism about prospects linked to buying and selling of edible goods. However, it seems that it failed to prevent the prevalent disparity between retail and wholesale prices.
According to reports, a 20% gap exists between retail and wholesale rates of regularly consumed goods, with the most significant underscoring even higher differences.
According to The News, the data was shared by the National Price Monitoring Committee, with the federal capital showing greater price disparities including 46% for ginger, 35% for potatoes and 25% for fresh milk.
The report by the authority reflected provincial markets in Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa battling similar price variations.
In light of the stooping Consumer Price Index (CPI), the interest rate is believed to drop further in the months ahead on the condition of prices maintaining a fall.
A National Price Monitoring Committee meeting, presided over by the Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, discussed strategies to stabilise prices and manage supply-demand dynamics across Pakistan.
Citing inflation data provided by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), particularly in food and essential eatable items, the minister stressed data-driven strategies in price monitoring and urged for detailed reports on factors that drive inflation to facilitate targeted interventions.
