Overcharging on perishable items goes unabated

LAHORE:The sellers have developed their own selling categories of different fruits and vegetables in the provincial metropolis in the absence of the price control check.

They adopted the sale of oranges and citrus fruit in kilogram while the list issued the rates in dozen. If customer demands the fruit in dozen, the vendors ask for double rates. This has given them a new way of overcharging while the price control magistrate also didn’t bother to check this practice. The district administration also failed to enforce the official rates as the almost all perishable items are being sold higher the official rates.

In the case of vegetables, the sellers are selling B and C category items higher than the A category rates and for A category charging doubled rates. This week the price of chicken increased by Rs3 per kg in official list and fixed at Rs397-411 per kg, which sold at Rs550-600 per kg, and chicken meat by Rs4 per kg, fixed at Rs595 per kg, and sold at Rs700-1,200 per kg on Sunday. The price of potato soft skin A-grade increased by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs60-65 per kg, sold at Rs100-120 per kg.

The price of onion A-grade declined by Rs25 per kg, fixed at Rs88-95 per kg, sold at Rs130-140 per kg, B-grade at Rs84-90 per kg, and C-grade at Rs74-80 per kg, mixed sold at Rs100-120 per kg. The price of tomato A-grade cut by Rs40 per kg, fixed at Rs81-90 per kg, sold at Rs150-180 per kg, B-grade fixed at Rs67-75 per kg, and C-grade at Rs54-60 per kg, mixed sold at Rs100-120 per kg. The price of garlic local cut by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs530-555 per kg, sold at Rs800 per kg, Garlic GI variety by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs315-330 per kg, sold at Rs400-450 per kg and Garlic China unchanged at Rs572-600 per kg, sold at Rs800-1,000 per kg.

The price of both Ginger Thai and Chinese was reduced by Rs30 per kg, fixed at Rs291-305 per kg, both sold at Rs400-500 per kg. Cucumber farm declined by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs50-55 per kg, sold at Rs100-120 per kg. The price of different variety of apples increased by Rs20 per kg, fixed at Rs140-310 per kg, sold at Rs250-600 per kg.

The price of banana A-category further gained by Rs10 per dozen, fixed at Rs170-190 per dozen, sold at Rs220-250 per dozen, and B-category by Rs15 per dozen, fixed at Rs10-115 dozen, sold at Rs160-180 per dozen, and C-category by Rs10 per dozen, at Rs62-70 per dozen, sold at Rs120-130 per dozen. Guava was reduced by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs125-145 per kg, sold at Rs150-200 per kg. Citrus fruit price increased by Rs50 per dozen, fixed at Rs205-330 per dozen, sold at Rs250-450 per dozen.

Fruiter price increased by Rs20 per dozen, fixed at Rs155-235 per dozen, sold at Rs220-350 per dozen. Dates were fixed at Rs375-445 per kg, sold at Rs600 to 1,400 per kg. Musami price increased by Rs10 per dozen, fixed at Rs125-150 per dozen, sold at Rs220- 280 per dozen.