Sunday bazaars
LAHORE
Unabated overcharging was observed in the weekly makeshift markets of the city even during the ‘surprise visit’ of Punjab Food and Price Control Minister Bilal Yasin.
The minister visited Shadman makeshift market without telling anyone but the media reached there well before the minister's arrival. The minister took a round of the makeshift market from one corner to other and checked security arrangements there. However, he could not observe open overcharging by the vendors, especially fruit sellers who were selling A-grade items at least 50 percent higher than the official rates. Similarly, the vegetables vendors overcharged the buyers on variety of items but the quantum of overcharging on vegetables was not huge as compared to overcharging on fruits.
Likewise, the last weeks, this week again number of vegetables, including Methi and bitter gourd were not sold in the weekly makeshift market on account of wrong price fixation, while number of vegetables, including spinach, cauliflower, cucumber, green chilli, garlic, ginger, beans and green gram were sold more than the official rates.
The price of potato new was gained by Re one per kg, fixed at Rs19 to 21 per kg. Onion rates were reduced by Re one per kg, fixed at Rs21 to 23 per kg. The price of tomato was declined by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs32 to 35 per kg. Garlic China was fixed at Rs275 to 285 per kg, while no price was issued for garlic local and both local and Chinese were sold at Rs300 to 320 per kg.
Ginger Chinese was reduced by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs88 to 90 per kg, and Thai fixed at Rs75 to 77 per kg, while Thai was sold at Rs100 per kg. The price of brinjal was gained by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs33 to 35 per kg not sold in the makeshift markets due to wrong price fixation issue. Cucumber was stable at Rs24 to 25 per kg. Bitter gourd price gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs73 to 75 per kg, not sold there, on wrong pricing. Spinach price stable at Rs14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs30 per kg. Lemon Chinese price remained unchanged at Rs53 to 55 per kg, sold at Rs60 per kg.
Zucchini farm was stable at Rs28 to 30 per kg, Zucchini long was fixed at Rs24 to 25 per kg both sold at Rs30 per kg. Green chilli was increased by Rs5 per kg, stable at Rs68 to 70 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg. Capsicum was stable at Rs68 to 70 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg. Carrot local price was unchanged at Rs17 to 18 per kg. Radish was fixed at Rs6 to 7 per kg with an increase of Rs2 per kg, not sold on wrong price fixation, while outside it sold at Rs15 per kg. Methi was stable at Rs14 to 15 per kg, not sold there on wrong price issue while outside sold at Rs40 per kg.
Turnip was stable at Rs14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs20 per kg. Pea price was reduced by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs43 to 45 per kg. Cabbage was stable at Rs14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs30 per kg, and cauliflower price was fixed at Rs19 to 20 per kg also sold at Rs30 per kg. Beans were sold at Rs160 per kg, green gram at Rs150 per kg, while no rates were fixed for beans and Rs70 per kg for green gram. The price of different variety of apples was fixed at Rs53 to 130 per kg, sold at Rs60 to 140 per kg. The price of banana was fixed at Rs48 to 70 per dozen, B-grade sold at Rs70 per dozen, A-grade at Rs150 per dozen.Guava price was stable at Rs48 to 50
per kg, sold at Rs60 to 70 per kg. Pomegranate Kandhari at Rs155 to 160 per kg, not sold there.
Papaya was fixed at Rs97 to 100 per kg, sold at Rs120 per kg. Grapefruit was fixed at Rs16 per piece, lower quality was sold at Rs15 to 20 per piece. Different variety of citrus fruits was fixed at Rs58 to 110 per dozen, sold at Rs60 to 200 per dozen. Strawberry was fixed at Rs145 to 210 per kg, while lower quality was sold at Rs210 per kg.