Overcharging continues in Sunday bazaars

LAHORE

Unavailability of number of vegetables due to wrong pricing, sale of B-grade fruits at A-grade price and the sale of A-grade fruits at 50 to 60 percent higher than the official rates remained main issues in Sunday bazaars. 

The situation of these makeshift markets is worsening as no relief has virtually been passed to the consumers after the new local government system. Overcharging and unavailability of majority of seasonal vegetables and fruits continued in these bazaars. 

Nothing is improving in these makeshift markets. There were no satisfactory security arrangements in the bazaars despite recent wave of terrorism in the country. Civil defence officials deputed there admitted that the arrangements to avoid any untoward incident were insufficient. They said they just created impression of deterrence through individual searches at entry points of the makeshift markets while there were more than one entry and exist points in all makeshift markets.

This week again number of vegetables including capsicum, brinjal, bitter gourd, radish and mongray were not sold in the weekly makeshift market on account of wrong price fixation, while number of vegetables including spinach, cauliflower, cucumber, green chili, garlic, ginger were sold at higher price than the official rates. No one bothers to control this artificial overcharging in these bazaars.

The price of potato new was gained by Rs 2 per kg, fixed at Rs 18 to 20 per kg. Onion rates were reduced by Re one per kg, fixed at Rs 22 to 24 per kg. The price of tomato was increased by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 34 to 37 per kg, sold at Rs 40 per kg.

Garlic China was declined by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 280 to 290 per kg, while no price was issued for Garlic local was and both local and Chinese were sold at Rs 300 to 320 per kg. Ginger Chinese was reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 92 to 95 per kg, and Thai fixed at Rs 78 to 80 per kg, while Thai was sold at Rs 100 per kg. The price of brinjal was gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 24 to 25 per kg not sold in the makeshift markets due to wrong price fixation. Cucumber was stable at Rs 24 to 25 per kg.

Bitter gourd price was gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 683 to 70 per kg, not sold there, on wrong pricing. Spinach price stable at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs 30 per kg. Lemon Chinese was unchanged at Rs 53 to 55 per kg, sold at Rs 60 per kg.

Zucchini Farm was gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 28 to 30 per kg, Zucchini Long was fixed at Rs 24 to 25 per kg both sold at Rs 30 per kg. Green chilli was increased by Rs 5 per kg, stable at Rs 63 to 65 per kg, sold at Rs 80 per kg. Capsicum was gained by Rs 15 per kg, fixed at Rs 68 to 70 per kg, not sold on account of wrong price fixation matter.

Carrot local was unchanged at Rs 17 to 18 per kg. Radish was fixed at Rs 4 to 5 per kg, not sold on wrong price fixation, while outside sold at Rs 15 per kg. Methi was reduced by Rs 3 per kg, fixed at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, not sold there on wrong price issue while outside sold at Rs 30 per kg. Turnip was stable at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs 20 per kg.

Pea price was stable at Rs 48 to 50 per kg. Cabbage was reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs 30 per kg, and cauliflower price was increased by Rs 2 per kg, fixed at Rs 19 to 20 per kg also sold at Rs 30 per kg. Mongray was gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 43 to 45 per kg, also missing there on price issue, while outside sold at Rs 80 per kg. Beans were sold at Rs 160 per kg, green gram at Rs 150 per kg, while no rates were fixed for both vegetables. The price of different variety of apples was fixed at Rs 53 to 130 per kg, sold at Rs 60 to 140 per kg.

The price of banana was fixed at Rs 48 to 70 per dozen, B-grade sold at Rs 70 per dozen. Guava price was reduced by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 48 to 50 per kg, sold at Rs 60 to 70 per kg. Peer Chinese was fixed at Rs 131 to 135 per kg, sold at Rs 160 per kg. Sweet potato was fixed at Rs 28 to 30 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg. Pomegranate Kandahari at Rs 151 to 156 per kg, sold at Rs 220 per kg.