Garlic out of public reach for three months

Rawalpindi

For more than three months people have been buying garlic (Lehson) at exorbitant prices of Rs320 to Rs350 per kilogram here in Sabzimandis. The prices of vegetables during past weeks have also jumped up persistently without any check by the Rawalpindi district government.

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Vegetable Wholesale Dealers Association (RIVWDA) General Secretary Muhammad Aslam Shaikh admitting the fact said, “We are facing shortage of ‘Lehson’ for months. We are hoping that the prices will come down after arrival of new crop in next month.”

“It is difficult to prepare a food item without ‘Lehson’ as it is an important ingredient of cooking. Garlic is an unaffordable item now,” Sajid Mehmood, a common man, said. He said that government has completely failed to control ever-increasing prices in markets.

The price fluctuation is witnessed on daily basis and no action is being taken by the local administration. The prices of vegetables have jumped up to alarming proportion during past two weeks but local government machinery has completely failed to check the rising prices, people alleged. They said on the other hand, hoarders and profiteers have also created artificial shortage of these kitchen items to earn more and more profit.

The reliable sources said that profiteers have hoarded tones of garlic in godowns in different areas of Pirwadhai, Ganjmandi, Dhoke Hassu, Sabzimandi, Dalgaran Bazaar and Khayaban, to earn more and more profit.

Assistant Commissioner (Rawalpindi) Tasleem Ali Khan said that they are continuously monitoring profiteers and hoarders and their price magistrates registering FIRs against them.

The prices of onion, garlic, potato and ginger are also continuously increasing even in the city’s weekly bazaars.

Yawar Hayat, a consumer, said that no action is being taken by the authorities despite the fact that prices of garlic, onion and potato increasing day-by-day.

The poor consumers have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to take up this matter as local management failed to handle profiteers and hoarders.