Artificial price hike persists in Sunday bazaars

LAHORE

The prices of majority of seasonal vegetables were again increased in Sunday bazaars despite improvement in their supply.

There was no relief to the consumers from the artificial price hike as the vendors continued overcharging in the Sunday Bazaars. The all government officers are busy in making arrangements for the special Ramazan bazaars to provide essential edibles at control rates. The Agricultural Department has been working to provide some 19 essential food items. including some seasonal fruits, vegetables, dates and pulses, at the agricultural marketing fair price shops in the Ramazan bazaars. The officials never bothered to improve the situation in the weekly makeshift markets where open overcharging continued. 

The market committee officials were unable to take any action against the violators of the price list as they just issue the price cards to the vendors. 

The management of these markets believed that their work is done once they ensured the establishment of the bazaars by erecting tents and closing the roads for traffic.

This Sunday, the vegetables, including mongray, carrot, arum, cauliflower, methi, radish, beans and turnip were not sold in the makeshift markets. Some fruits, including China peer, grapefruit, all cirrus fruits, strawberry and guava, were also not sold in the weekly makeshift market on account of wrong price fixing. Furthermore, a number of vegetables, including green chili, garlic, ginger, beans, cabbage and others were sold at the rates more than the official rates.

The rate of potato new was increased by Re one per kg and fixed at Rs 20 to Rs 22 per kg. Onion rate was stable at Rs 23 to Rs 25 per kg.

The price of tomato was further reduced by Rs 11 per kg and fixed at Rs 16 to 18 per kg. Garlic harnai rate was reduced by Rs 10 per kg and fixed at Rs 136 to Rs 140 per kg. The price of garlic local new was increased by Rs 6 per kg and fixed at Rs 107 to 110 per kg while it was sold at Rs 110 to 140 per kg in Sunday bazaars and Rs 100 to 120 in the open market and on donkey carts just outside the makeshift markets. 

Chinese ginger rate was cut by Rs 10 per kg and fixed at Rs 88 to Rs 90 per kg, and Thai by Rs 11 per kg and fixed 63 to Rs 65 per kg,but Thai ginger was sold at Rs 100 per kg. The price of brinjal was stable at Rs 24 to Rs 25 per kg.

Cucumber rate was increased by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 19 to Rs 30 per kg but it was sold at Rs 30 to Rs 60 per kg. Bitter gourd, local, rate was reduced by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 43 to Rs 45 per kg, and bitter gourd, farm, rate was fixed at Rs 28 to 30 per kg, but both were sold at Rs 45 per kg.

Spinach rate was increased by Rs 3 per kg and fixed at Rs 14 to Rs 15 per kg, but sold at Rs 20 to Rs 25 per kg. Indian lemon price was fixed at Rs 126 to Rs 130 per kg and lemon, local, at Rs 155 to Rs 160 per kg but both were sold at Rs 160 to 180 per kg.

Zucchini, farm, rate was increased by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 33 to Rs 35 per kg, zucchini, long, at Rs 19 to 20 per kg and zucchini, local, at Rs 92 to Rs 95 per kg.