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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Seasonal vegetables unavailable at Sunday bazaars

Wrong price fixation

By Jawwad Rizvi
January 19, 2015
LAHORE
WRONG price fixation issued by the market committee Lahore cause non-availability of some of the seasonal vegetables in the makeshift markets of the city while in open markets these vegetables sold higher than the official rates.
The market committee has fixed some seasonal vegetables like carrot, turnip, radish and others lower than the vendors buying rate due to which some of these vegetables were not sold in the makeshift markets. Those sold overcharged customers claiming that they could not sell it lower than their buying price.
This is not a new issue as every week or fortnightly such situation emerges in the weekly makeshift markets of the city. The market committee has never bothered to settle the issue forever, so is the case with the district government which also overlooked this matter always.
On the other side, when the vendors get free hand to sell such items in the makeshift markets in order to ensure availability of such vegetables, they also start overcharging on other items too. This has become a regular feature of the markets that the government has not so far take notice, hence consumers are suffering due to government negligence.
The potato price was fixed at Rs20 to Rs22 per kg, sold at Rs22 per kg. Onion rate was fixed at Rs17 to Rs19 per kg while mixed sold at Rs19 per kg and A-category was at Rs25 to Rs30 per kg. Tomato was reduced by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs39 to Rs41 per kg, while mixed sold at Rs40 per kg. Garlic local was fixed at Rs125 to Rs135 per kg, sold at Rs140 per kg, and Garlic China was fixed at Rs130 to Rs140 per kg. Ginger Thailand was fixed at Rs115 to Rs125 per kg, Garlic China was fixed at Rs120 to Rs130 per kg, and Ginger India at Rs72 to Rs75 per kg, while Indian was sold at Rs140 to Rs160 per kg.
Spinach Farm was increased by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs12 to Rs15 per kg, sold at Rs25 per kg, while spinach local was fixed at Rs24 to Rs28 per kg, sold at Rs30 per kg. Brinjal was gained by Rs6 per kg, fixed at Rs30 to Rs39 per kg, sold at Rs40 per kg. Bitter gourd was fixed at Rs102 to Rs106 per kg, but not available there. Cucumber price was Rs50 to Rs55 but sold at Rs60 per kg. Lemon China was fixed at Rs45 to Rs55 per kg, sold at Rs60 to Rs80 per kg. Zucchini was gained by Rs9 per kg, fixed at Rs35 to Rs40 per kg. Cauliflower was gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs20 to Rs24 per kg, sold at Rs25 per kg, and cabbage was fixed at Rs20 to Rs22 per kg, sold at Rs25 per kg. Green pepper local was fixed at Rs70 to Rs75 per kg, and farm at Rs40 to Rs43 while sold at Rs80 to Rs100 per kg.
Capsicum was fixed at Rs75 to Rs82 per kg, sold at Rs80 to Rs100 per kg. Pumpkin was fixed at Rs59 to Rs63 per kg, sold at Rs65 to Rs70 per kg. Radish price was fixed at Rs10 to Rs12 per kg, sold at Rs15 to Rs20 per kg. Turnip was fixed at Rs5 to Rs7 per kg, but was not sold due to price fixation issue. Methi was fixed at Rs22 to Rs25 per kg, while carrot was fixed at Rs12 per kg, but not sold in the makeshift markets due to buying and selling price differential.