General estimates suggest an additional five per cent annual increase in the number of undernourished people over the national estimates of the proportion of the undernourished in 2009 to 2011. - File photo

ISLAMABAD: The cost of minimum food basket comprising basic items increased by 79 per cent during four years of the current government, adding to malnutrition and poverty, according to official findings.

“The food basket has shown a consistent increase since 2007 from Rs1000 to Rs1790 (79 per cent) based on retail prices of December 2011,” according to a biannual report on Change in Cost of Food Basket (July-December 2011).

The price of wheat has increased by 67 per cent to Rs30 per kg from Rs18 in 2007-08, while the prices of pulses rose by 71 per cent to Rs84 per kg. Sugar prices posted a massive increase of 147 per cent to Rs84 per cent in December 2011, followed by vegetable ghee (57 per cent) and meat (94 per cent).

The cost of 2,150 calories, needed to keep the body and soul together, increased from Rs960 to Rs1,790, more than 86 per cent between 2007-08 and 2011-12.

The report said the price of wheat, the major staple, registered an increase of 200 per cent during the 11-year period from 2001, adding by 20 per cent to the cost of monthly food basket.

The price of sugar during the period (2001-12) registered an increase of 200 per cent and its contribution to the monthly cost of food basket was six per cent. Prices of pulses increased by 134 per cent, a share of only two per cent in the food basket.

It said that vegetable ghee and edible oils were a principal source of energy contributing 13 per cent to the monthly food basket and 16 per cent share in the overall food intake while meat remained an important source of nutrition. Prices of ghee and edible oil increased by 200 per cent during the decade and that of meat by 300 per cent. Meat contributed to about 11 per cent in the monthly food cost.

The planning commission said that nutrition status was an important poverty parameter and impediment to human development. The government’s policy over the time has focused on achieving self-sufficiency in food production for sustained food availability.

“To meet part of the food supply from imports remains politically and economically unacceptable, however, is inevitably supported for sustenance of essential food supplies.”

As a result, the production of major food and food availability over time have increased both in absolute and per capita availability and also overall energy availability.

“However, the overall food availability alone does not conform to food insecurity,” the planning commission said, adding that food security objectives would require linking overall availability with effective consumption at household level.

It said the minimum food basket remained below availability, and the actual consumption even lower than the food basket. While the overall supply of major food items was sustained average retail prices of a few essential items of the minimum food basket have demonstrated an overall increasing trend over the period.

Talking about monthly per capita cost during July-December 2011, the planning commission said the overall cost at national level registered a cumulative increase of three per cent during the first half of the current fiscal year, owing to three per cent increase in the cost of wheat and milk, four per cent in rice and meat and 13 per cent in vegetables. It said the overall food basket price had peaked at Rs1,910 between August and November 2011 before coming down to Rs1,790 in December.

It noted that generally the cost of food basket increased during July-November in both years (2011 and 2012) and decreased in December. From July to November, the increase in cost has been sharp with 23 per cent in 2010-11 compared to nine per cent during 2011-12. Likewise, the cost decrease has been six per cent in November to December 2011-12 compared to four per cent in the previous year.

An earlier planning commission report had said that “given the continued sharp increase in prices of staple, mainly wheat, vegetable ghee and sugar, during the second half of 2010, and follow up in the first half of 2011, the number of people suffering from chronic hunger is likely to have increased further”.

General estimates suggest an additional five per cent annual increase in the number of undernourished people over the national estimates of the proportion of the undernourished in 2009 to 2011. Much of this is attributed to increase in food prices.

“Therefore, estimated proportion of undernourished children will be around 50pc as of 2011.”