LAHORE: The Punjab government has established 51 Agriculture Fair Price shops for over 127 million population of the province to sell 13 items at 25 per cent discounted rates during Ramazan to control inflation and ensure availability of essential items to the general public.
The government has also claimed that A-grade items are being sold at these shops at discounted rates. However, mixed grade items are being sold in provincial metropolis where the chief minister, ministers and all government officials are visiting to have a view of the prices of edibles.
Further, on the basis of calculation one shop is meant to serve over 2.4 million population on the basis of 51 shops to over 127 million population of the province. This could be the most successful management in the world and shall be portray globally which may be helpful for the other countries to find solutions of their problems on these lines. The price control magistrates have increased their raids to check prices and so far over three lakh inspections have been carried out and found more than 29,000 sellers involved in overcharging, over 800 FIRs have lodged and more than 2,200 people were arrested. The government collected over Rs26million revenue in the form of fines.
The government despite all these efforts seems unable to implement official rate list. The sellers who are fined increase the prices of their items to recover the fine they paid to the government. Prices of official rate list seem going down, but these rates are not implemented. Reduced prices on official lists give impression that the rates of edibles are reducing, but in reality it is not so.
Overcharging is not limited to one item but it continues on all products from meat, grains, vegetables and fruits. Meat was not sold at official rates anywhere in the city. This week price of chicken has been reduced by Rs7 per kg, fixed at Rs387-402 per kg, sold at Rs440-470 per kg, and chicken meat by Rs10 per kg, fixed Rs583 per kg, and sold Rs630-1100 per kg. The price of potato soft skin reduced by Rs8 per kg, fixed at Rs48-52 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg, B-grade by Rs7 per kg, fixed at Rs44-48 per kg, and C-grade by Rs8 per kg, fixed at Rs38-42 per kilogram, mixed sold at Rs60-70 per kg. The price of onion A-grade declined by Rs70 per kg, fixed at Rs170-180 per kg, sold at Rs220-240 per kg, B-grade fixed at Rs160-165 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg, and C-grade gained by Rs50 per kg, fixed at Rs145-150 per kg, sold at sold at Rs170 per kg. The price of tomato A-grade reduced by Rs50 per kg, fixed at Rs105-110 per kg, sold at Rs150-160 per kg, B-grade fixed at Rs95-100 per kg, and C-grade fixed at Rs80-85 per kg, mixed sold at Rs100-120 per kg. The price of garlic local was reduced by Rs115 per kg, fixed at Rs265-275 per kg, sold at Rs400 per kg, and Garlic China by Rs20 per kg, fixed at Rs570-590 per kg, sold at Rs800 per kg, Garlic Harnai by Rs85 per kg, was fixed at Rs360-375 per kg, sold at Rs500 per kg. The price of bot Ginger Thai and China was unchanged at Rs500-515 per kg, sold at Rs600 per kg. Cucumber Farm further gained by Rs4 per kg, fixed at Rs67-70 per kg, sold at Rs80-120 per kg. Brinjal price was further gained by Rs10 per kg, fixed Rs115-120 per kg, sold at Rs150-180 per kg.
Biter gourd price reduced by Rs80 per kg, fixed at Rs260-270 per kg, sold at Rs400 per kg. The price Spinach farm further increased by Rs11 per kg, fixed at Rs30-33 sold at Rs50-60 per kg, spinach local by Rs20 per kg, fixed at Rs47-50 per kg, sold at Rs100 per kg. Zucchini farm declined by Rs30 per kg, fixed at Rs86-90 per kg, sold at Rs120-140 per kg, and Zucchini long by Rs6 per kg, fixed at Rs57-60 per kg, sold at Rs100-120 per kg. The price of different variety of apples further gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs58-330 per kg, sold at Rs150-500 per kg. The price of Banana A-category further gained by Rs10 per dozen, fixed at Rs185-190 per dozen, sold at Rs240-280 per dozen, and B-category gained by Rs15/dozen, fixed at Rs135-140/dozen, sold at Rs180-200 per dozen, and C-category fixed at Rs80-85 per dozen, sold at Rs130-150 per dozen.
