LAHORE:The Punjab government Sunday made the Ramzan bazaars operational but failed to control overcharging in the open markets ahead of holy month of Ramazan.
Further, mainly increasing trend was witnessed in the prices of majority of seasonal and perishable fruits and vegetables. Supply of all perishable items in the Ramazan bazaars is yet to be streamlined as being the first day of these bazaars vendors were establishing their stalls and estimating the required supplies.
Furthermore, Agriculture Marketing Department was selling relatively better quality items at its stalls at lower than the market prices as announced by the government.
Following the better quality and lower rates, rush of the buyers was seen at the stalls which resulted in end of stocks till mid day and the officials were asking for more supplies mainly of dates, gram powder, lemon and banana.
Further, despite the government ban imposed on gatherings, wedding functions in wedding halls, dine-in service, the prices of chicken meat are not coming down. The rates of chicken meat remained on the higher side. Similarly, mobile shops started by the district management in order to ensure availability of fruits and vegetables at official rates were also not seen in the City.
This correspondent asked the district government spokesperson to share the details of the routes of these mobile shops two days ago but no detail was shared. Further, no such details are being shared from the deputy commissioner twitter account which is always active to show the governance and performance of the officer. The supply of sugar is now gradually improving after the Lahore High Court’s orders to the sugar mills of Punjab to ensure around 157,000 tonne sugar at Rs 80 ex-mill rate during the holy month of Ramazan. However, the issue of availability of sugar at Rs 85 retail price is yet to be resolved completely.
The official price of chicken live bird was reduced by Rs2 per kg and fixed at Rs226 per kg, while it was sold at Rs240 to Rs260 per kg, and chicken meat by Rs3 per kg and fixed at Rs 328 per kg, but sold Rs350 to Rs420 per kg.
The price of potato, soft skinned new A-grade, was increased by Rs9 per kg, fixed at Rs43 to Rs45 per kg, B-Grade at Rs 39 to Rs41 per kg, but mixed quality potatoes were sold at Rs50 to at55 per kg. Potato, white, rate was increased by Rs4 per kg, fixed at Rs 28 to Rs30 per kg, but sold at Rs 35 to 40 per kg.
The price of onion, A-grade, was fixed at Rs 23 to Rs25 per kg, but sold at Rs35 to Rs 45 per kg, B-grade at Rs19 to Rs21 per kg, and C-grade at Rs15 to Rs17 per kg, but B and C grade mixed onion was sold at Rs25 to Rs30 per kg. The price of tomato, A-grade, was increased by Rs3 per kg and fixed at Rs48 to Rs50 per kg, but sold at Rs80 to Rs100 kg, B-grade rate fixed at Rs44 to Rs46 per kg, and C-grade at Rs40 to Rs42 per kg, B and C quality mixed tomato was sold at Rs40 to Rs60 per kg. The price of garlic, local, was increased by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs90 to Rs95 per kg while lower quality garlic was sold at Rs100 to Rs120 per kg. Garlic, Chinese, rate was unchanged at Rs155 to Rs160 per kg, but sold at Rs200 to Rs240 per kg. Ginger, Chinese, rate was increased by Rs10 per kg and fixed at Rs310 to Rs320 per kg, but sold at Rs400 per kg. Ginger, Thai, price was increased by Rs10 per kg and fixed at Rs 310 to Rs315 per kg, and sold at Rs320 to Rs360 per kg. Cucumber, farm black, rate was fixed at Rs 32 to Rs34 per kg, white at Rs20 to Rs21 per kg, but the cucumber of both grades was sold at Rs40 to Rs50 per kg.
Brinjal price was incased by Rs10 per kg and fixed at Rs40 to Rs42 per kg, but sold at Rs 50 to Rs60 per kg.
Bitter gourd was reduced by Rs20 per kg and fixed at Rs60 to Rs62 per kg, but sold at Rs 80 to Rs100 per kg. Spinach rate was reduced by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs15 to Rs16 per kg, but sold at Rs 50 per kg. Zucchini, farm, price was increased by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs40 to Rs42 per kg, and zucchini long rate was increased by Rs2 per kg and fixed at Rs40 to Rs42 per kg, both sold at Rs60 per kg. Zucchni local rate was fixed at Rs150 to Rs155 per kg, sold at Rs 200 to Rs240 per kg.
The price of lemon, Chinese, was increased by Rs50 per kg and fixed at Rs145 to Rs150 per kg, but sold at Rs200 per kg. Lemon local rate was increased by Rs65 per kg and fixed at Rs280 to Rs290 per kg, but sold at Rs 400 per kg. Pumpkin price was reduced by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs55 to Rs57 per kg, but sold at Rs 80 to Rs100 per kg.
Lady finger rate was reduced by Rs41 per kg and fixed at Rs100 to Rs104 per kg, but sold at Rs160. Luffa price was reduced by Rs20 per kg and fixed at Rs100 to Rs104 per kg, but sold at Rs 160 per kg. Green chili, A-grade, price was raised by Rs 11 per kg and fixed at Rs70 to Rs73 per kg, but sold at Rs120 to Rs140 per kg, B-grade by Rs 10 per kg and fixed at Rs40 to Rs42 per kg, but sold at Rs80 per kg.