LAHORE: Prices of majority of seasonal perishable items have started to increase ahead of Ramazan. There remains shortage of vegetables and fruits in Sunday bazaars because official prices of the commodities could not be implemented.
There is no mechanism to check prices and official rate lists have no meaning for sellers. They say they cannot buy anything on official rates at Badamibagh wholesale market where all fruits and vegetables are auctioned. They said wholesale dealers are involved in overcharging, but no one is there to check them.
Vendors said they pay electricity bill, workers’ wages and transportation fare which causes at least 10 to 15 percent increase in buying expenditure. They said 20 to 25 percent higher rates were charged by every shopkeeper and in some cases sellers charged 50 to 100 percent higher rates than the official ones. Quoting the example of lemon, they said official rate is Rs 211 per kg while it is bought at Rs 250 to 280 per kg and sold at Rs 400 per kg.
Radish pods (mongray), turnip, radish, turnip, cauliflower, cabbage Fenugreek (methi), capsicum, zucchini long and farm, cauliflower, pumpkin, besides majority of seasonal fruits were not sold in the makeshift on account of wrong pricing issue. Similarly, overcharging was observed on biter gourd, green chilli, garlic, ginger, sweet pumpkin, cucumber, luffa and lady finger and almost all fruits.
This week price of potato was further increased by Re one per kg, fixed at Rs 14 to 15 per kg for makeshift markets and Rs 15 to 16 per kg for open markets. In open markets it was sold at Rs 20 per kg.
The price of onion was unchanged at Rs 23 to 25 per kg. The price of tomato was gained by Rs 9 per kg, fixed at Rs 31 to 33 per kg, sold at Rs 35 per kg.
Garlic China was increased by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 112 to 115 per kg, and garlic local at Rs 68 to 70 per kg, sold at Rs 120 per kg and makeshift markets and outside at Rs 60 to 80 per kg.
Ginger Chinese was further increased by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 203 to 210 per kg, and Thai by Rs 5 per kg, was fixed at Rs 170 to 175 per kg, and it was sold at Rs 220 per kg.
The price of brinjal was gained by Rs 2 per kg fixed at Rs 28 to 30 per kg. Cucumber local was reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 28 to 30 per kg, sold at Rs 40 per kg, and Farm increased by Rs 7 per kg, fixed at Rs 23 to 25 per kg, while market committee issued Rs 30 per kg rate for it in makeshift markets ignoring official price list.
Bitter gourd was increased by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 43 to 45 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg. Spinach was gained by Rs 3 per kg, fixed at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs 20 per kg.
Lemon Chinese was fixed at Rs 97 to 100 per kg, not available, lemon local reduced by Rs 45 per kg fixed at Rs 198 to 205 per kg, sold at Rs 240 per kg.
Zucchini local was fixed at Rs 63 to 65 per kg, sold at Rs 70 per kg, farm fixed at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, zucchini long fixed at Rs 18 per kg but both variety were not available on account of wrong pricing issue.
Pumpkin was increased by Rs 3 per kg, fixed at Rs 26 to 28 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing issue. Green chilli was enhanced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 53 to 55 per kg, sold at Rs 60 to 80 per kg.
Capsicum was stable at Rs 23 to 25 per kg not sold on account of wrong pricing issue. Beans rates were sold at Rs 200 per kg while no price was issued by the market committee to it.
Carrot price was gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 33 to 35 kg, not available on account of wrong pricing. Fenugreek (Methi) was increased by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 45 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing.
Cauliflower was increased by Rs 20 per kg, fixed at Rs 48 to 50 per kg, not available, and cabbage fixed at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs 40 per kg.
Pea was stable at Rs 58 to 60 per kg not sold there. Ladyfinger was unchanged at Rs 73 to 75 per kg, sold at Rs 80 per kg. Sweet pumpkin was fixed at Rs 10 per kg, sold at Rs 40 per kg.
Luffa was stable at Rs 38 to 40 kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg. Arum was fixed at Rs 38 to 40 per kg, sold at Rs 100 per kg. Different variety of apples was fixed at Rs 78 to 295 per kg, sold at Rs 80 to 160 per kg while Chinese apples were not sold there.