Tomato shortage persists in City markets

LAHORE

Shortage of tomato persisted in the city markets on another week as the crop was affected by temperature fluctuations in Sindh which disrupted the supplies to Punjab markets and pushed its prices up.

Despite shortage in the supply, the Lahore market committee fixed its maximum official rates at Rs 90 per kg while in the Badami Bagh wholesale market, it was sold at Rs 150 per kg. Hence, its price in open market increased to Rs 160 to 180 per kg. Despite tomato shortage, fixing its price at Rs 90 per kg exposes the wrong price mechanism by the market committee and deputy commissioner office, whose duly signed price list is issued daily. Due to it, everyday almost all items are sold in open markets at much higher than official rates while there is no price magistrate to check it.

In weekly makeshift markets, the administration allowed tomato sellers to sell it at Rs 130 per kg for lower quality. They brought the sellers with requests to ensure its availability. On the permission of higher price, the administrator of the Shadman bazaar said that special permission had been sought from the deputy commissioner to ensure its availability, rather than it was not sold at all. He said that in market or outside they were selling it at Rs 150 to 160 per kg while in the bazaar it was sold at Rs130. Thus, the consumers are still comfortable as they are paying extra outside the bazaar, he added.

Like the last weeks, this week again a number of vegetables including bitter gourd, mongray, radish, carrot, turnip besides some fruits including peer (China) and banana were not sold in the weekly makeshift market on account of wrong price fixing while a number of vegetables including  green chili, garlic, ginger, beans, cauliflower and tomato were sold at more than official rates.

The price of potato (new) increased by Re one per kg, fixed at Rs 20 to 22 per kg. Onion was reduced by Re one ans was stable at Rs 26 to 28 per kg. Tomato further gained by Rs 20 per kg, fixed at Rs 87 to 90 per kg, while lower quality was sold at Rs 130 per kg. Garlic (China) was fixed at Rs 284 to 294 per kg with an increase of Rs 5 per kg, garlic (local new) at Rs 83 to 85 per kg while the market committee issued Rs 130 per kg price card for the new local garlic instead of the rates given on the official price list while it was sold at Rs 140 per kg.

Ginger (Chinese) was fixed at Rs 83 to 85 per kg and Thai at Rs 63 to 65 per kg while Thai was sold at Rs 100 per kg. The price of brinjal increased by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 28 to 30 per kg. Cucumber reduced by Rs 7 per kg fixed at Rs 22 to 23 per kg. Bitter gourd was stable at Rs 88 to 90 per kg, but not sold there for wrong pricing. Spinach was unchanged at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs 25 per kg.

Lemon (Chinese) increased by Rs 3 per kg, fixed at Rs 58 to 60 per kg. Zucchini (farm) reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 24 to 25 per kg, zucchini (long) by Rs 9 per kg, fixed at Rs 17 to 18 per kg, and both sold at Rs 30 per kg. Green chilli declined by Rs 34 per kg, fixed at Rs 74 to 76 per kg, sold at Rs 100 per kg. Capsicum reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 43 to 45 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg. Carrot (local) was fixed at Rs 15 per kg but not sold on wrong pricing. Radish was fixed at Rs 6 to 7 per kg but missing on wrong pricing while outside sold at Rs 20 per kg. Methi increased by Rs 2 per kg, fixed at Rs 17 to 18 per kg, sold at Rs 20 per kg. Turnip was fixed at Rs 9 to 10 per kg, sold at Rs 20 per kg. Pea reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 33 to 35 per kg. Cabbage increased by Rs 3 per kg, fixed at Rs 17 to 18 per kg, sold at Rs 20 per kg, and cauliflower was fixed at Rs 24 to 25 per kg. Mongray increased by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 43 to 45 per kg, not sold there while outside sold at Rs 50 to 60 per kg. Beans were sold at Rs 160 per kg while no rates were issued for it, green gram at Rs 240 per kg. Ladyfinger was fixed at Rs 92 to 95 per kg, sold at Rs 100 per kg. Pumpkin was fixed at Rs 24 to 25 per kg, sold at Rs 25 to 40 per kg. Luffa was fixed at Rs 58 to 60 per kg, sold at Rs 80 per kg.

The price of different variety of apples was fixed at Rs 58 to 140 per kg, sold at Rs 80 to 180 per kg. Banana was fixed at Rs 53 to 85 per dozen, B-grade sold at Rs 85 per dozen, A-grade was not sold there. Guava gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 63 to 65 per kg, sold at Rs 70 to 80 per kg. Papaya was fixed at Rs 97 to 100 per kg, sold at Rs 120 per kg. Grapefruit was fixed at Rs 18 per piece, not sold. Different variety of citrus fruits was fixed at Rs 73 to 125 per dozen, sold at Rs 80 to 200 per dozen. Strawberry was fixed at Rs 88 to 160 per kg, while mixed rotten was sold at Rs 160 per kg. Peer (Chinese) was fixed at Rs 136 to 140 per kg not sold. Dates were fixed at Rs 126 to 135 per kg, sold at Rs 130 to 320 per kg. Melon was fixed at Rs 38 to 60 per kg while mixed quality was sold at Rs 60 per kg.