Vegetable, fruit prices go up ahead of Ramazan

LAHORE

The prices of almost all vegetables and fruits were increased this week while a number of vegetables were not sold in the weekly makeshift markets on low official price issue.

The vendors refuse to sell those vegetables of which rates were fixed lower than their purchasing price from wholesale Badami Bagh fruit and vegetable market. They said that some seasonal vegetables rates were doubled at wholesale level this week so they did not purchase them. It is practice of price committee that it fixes much lower price than the purchase price of a vegetable of which price was doubled or more at wholesale level as compared to the previous week.

To artificially control inflation, the price committee issues the official list having lower prices of a number of vegetables as compared to real market prices.

As there is no action from the highest authorities, the market committee and district government officials are free to act this way while the consumers suffer.

Meanwhile, overcharging was observed in different weekly makeshift markets of the city while lower quality items were also sold there.

The official price of potato, soft skin, was further raised by Rs 2 per kg and fixed at Rs 20 to 23 per kg, hard skin potato price at Rs 15 to 17 per kg while it was sold at Rs 23 per kg.

Onion price was also increased by Rs 2 per kg and fixed at Rs 19 to 22 per kg.

Price of tomato was enhanced by Re 1 per kg and fixed at Rs 9 to 11 per kg and sold at Rs 10 per kg.

Garlic, local, price was stable at Rs 110 to 120 per kg and garlic, Quetta, price  was raised by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 140 to 150 per kg, both sold at Rs 140 to 150 per kg.

Ginger, Thailand, price was increased by Rs 6 per kg and fixed at Rs 40 to 45 per kg and ginger, Chinese, price by Rs 10 per kg and fixed at Rs 80 to 85 per kg, both were sold at Rs 100 per kg. The price of brinjal was raised by Re 1 per kg and fixed at Rs 25 to 29 per kg, but sold at Rs 30 per kg. Cucumber, farm, price was increased by Rs 6 per kg and fixed at Rs 12 to 14 per kg while cucumber, local, rate was raised by Rs 7 per kg and fixed at Rs 28 to 32 per kg, both were sold at Rs 32 per kg.

Bitter gourd price was raised by Rs 2 per kg and fixed at Rs 25 to 32 per kg.

Spinach price was raised by Rs 2 per kg and fixed at Rs 11 to 13 per kg, but was not sold there while outside it was sold at Rs 40 per kg.

Lemon special, local, price was reduced by Rs 20 per kg and fixed at Rs 170 to 180 per kg, and price of B-grade lemon was fixed at Rs 110 to 116 per kg, but sold at Rs 180 per kg.

Zucchini, long, price was increased by Rs2 per kg and fixed at Rs19 to 21 per kg. Zucchini round, farm, price was fixed at Rs9 to 11 per kg, none of them was sold there on wrong official price issue.

The price of pumpkin was raised by Rs 6 per kg and fixed at Rs 19 to 21 per kg, it too was not sold there due to wrong price issue as it was sold at the wholesale level for Rs 40 per kg.

Luffa price was reduced by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 30 to 35 per kg.

Okra price was cut by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs 35 to 40 per kg.

Arum price was raised by Rs 18 per kg and fixed at Rs 63 to 68 per kg, but not sold there, while outside it sold was at Rs 100 per kg.

Green chilli, local, price was stable at Rs35 to 40 per kg, and green chilli, farm, price at Rs 23 to 25 per kg, but both were sold at Rs 40 to 60 per kg.

Capsicum price was raised by Rs 13 per kg and fixed at Rs 26 to 30 per kg, but sold at Rs 40 per kg.

The prices of different varieties of apples were fixed at Rs 65 to 242 per kg, but sold at Rs 80 to 300 per kg.

The price was watermelon was increased by Rs 3 per kg and fixed at Rs10 to 15 per kg, small size watermelon was sold at Rs 15 per kg and big size watermelon at Rs 20 per kg.

The price of banana, A category, was fixed at Rs 80 to 90 per dozen and B category at Rs 58 to 62 per dozen, but it was sold at Rs 200 per dozen.

The price of melon was fixed at Rs 17 to 35 per kg but sold at Rs 30 to 40 per kg, while in the open market it was sold at Rs 15 to 30 per kg.

Papaya price was fixed at Rs74 to 80 per kg, but not sold there.

Phalsa price was fixed at Rs 150 per kg but sold at Rs 160 per kg.

Plump price was fixed at Rs 130 to 190 per kg while lower quality plump was sold at Rs 180 per kg and A-quality at Rs 350 per kg.

Peach price was fixed at Rs 90 to 140 per kg while lower quality peach was sold at Rs130 to 140 per kg.

The prices of different varieties of mangoes were fixed at Rs 40 to 110 per kg while it was sold at Rs 80 to 120 per kg.

Apricot, yellow, price was fixed at Rs 87 to 95 per kg and white at Rs 130 to 138 per kg but lower grade apricot was sold at Rs 160 per kg.