As the holy month of Ramazan is just around the corner, people are bracing themselves for the customary hike in food prices — this is over and above the two-digit inflationary spiral that the country has been facing for almost four years.

The prices of essential kitchen items including vegetables, sugar, edible oil, ghee, meat, eggs, and pulses have been substantially increased across the board by unscrupulous traders to make quick money, adding to the economic sufferings of the low- to middle-income consumers.

The prices tend to escalate during the holy month, with a general surge of 31.5% in recent months, and several food items witnessing up to 60% increase in their rates from their pre-Ramazan levels.

The price of onions, for instance, has shot up from Rs150 per kg to as much as Rs300, with some retailers offering a slight relief at Rs250 per kg.

Fruit and vegetable rates have surged in the absence of an effective price monitoring system. Other essential items have seen similar price hikes. Potatoes, another hot selling item in Ramazan, now cost Rs80 per kg against Rs50 earlier.

Cabbage has shot up to Rs150 per kg from Rs80-100 and green chillies are being sold at Rs320 per kg in comparison with it earlier price of Rs200.

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Similarly, capsicum has doubled in price to Rs400 per kg. However, the price of spinach has remained unchanged at Rs80-100 per kg.

Apart from the vegetable price hike, the rates of various fruits have witnessed an increase as well.

The prices of small-sized bananas has jacked up from Rs80 to Rs120 per dozen. The high-quality large bananas are being sold at Rs200 per dozen against their earlier rate of Rs120-150.

Green apples are being sold for Rs200-250 per kg against their previous rate of Rs150.

The much-sought after red golden apples now cost Rs350-400 per kg in comparison with their earlier price of Rs300.

The rates of melons — another Ramazan favourite – have increased to Rs150-200 per kg against Rs100-120.