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Thursday March 28, 2024

Public left at mercy of vegetable, fruit vendors

By Jawwad Rizvi
May 29, 2017

LAHORE

The government officials remained focused on cosmetic arrangements for the special Ramazan bazaar and other makeshift markets in the city while the public was left at the mercy of the vendors, sellers and shopkeepers in the open market where no price mechanism exist and no price lists were observed for daily-use items.

The government officials focused on making comfortable environment in the makeshift markets by arranging air-conditioned marques, sofas and chairs and atmosphere of great market. However, the public's major concern of availability of perishable items such as fruits and vegetables at official rates was not addressed there too.

In the cozy marques, a few items were sold while majority of seasonal items were not available. The agricultural market committee stalls were unable to handle the rush of the buyers as almost all missing items which were not sold by other vendors were being sold there. However, they were selling these items on the rationing formula as they had to ensure availability of all items till dusk.

Lemon and banana were mainly two items which disappeared from these special makeshift markets while in the open markets both were out of commoner's reach. In open market, lemon was sold at Rs 300 per kg while banana was sold at Rs 150 to 200 per dozen. At agricultural market committee stalls in special Ramazan bazaars, it was available at Rs 80 per dozen and Rs 175 per kg, respectively. However, limit of lemon sale was fixed at half kg and banana one dozen for a buyer. Similarly, capsicum, spinach, arum, cucumber, plump, phalsa, apricot, lokat, China peer, papaya and banana were not sold in these makeshift markets. Another aspect observed there was that people were sitting on the resting sofas and chairs unnecessarily due to cozy environment. People of the adjoining areas of these bazaars come over there and stay to enjoy air-conditioned environment.

In the makeshift markets on Sunday, offical rate of potato, soft skin, was further increased by Re 1 per kg and fixed at Rs 32 to Rs 34 per kg. Potato, hard skin, rate was fixed at Rs 26 to Rs 28 per kg. Potato, sugar free, rate was increased by Rs 2 per kg and fixed at Rs 28 to Rs 30 per kg, and potato, store, at Rs 22 to Rs 24 per kg, while stored variety was sold at Rs 34 per kg. Onion rate was increased by Re 2 per kg and fixed at Rs 18 to 20 per kg. The price of tomato was increased by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 18 to 20 per kg. Garlic, harnai, rate was fixed at Rs 145 to Rs 150 per kg,. Garlic, local, rate remained unchanged at Rs 107 to Rs 110 per kg but sold at Rs 150 per kg. Ginger, Chinese, rate was increased by Rs 9 per kg and fixed at Rs 101 to Rs 104 per kg. Ginger, Thai, rate was raised by Rs 6 per kg and fixed 74 to Rs 76 per kg, but it was sold at Rs 120 per kg. The price of brinjal was unchanged at Rs 19 to Rs 20 per kg.

Cucumber, farm , rate was fixed at Rs 14 to Rs 15 per kg, and cucumber, local, at Rs 24 to 25 per kg, but not sold there. Bitter gourd, local, rate was reduced by Rs 12 per kg and fixed at Rs 22 to Rs 23 per kg.

Spinach rate was increased by Rs 12 per kg and fixed at Rs 21 to Rs 22 per kg, but not sold due to 'wrong' official price matter. Lemon, local, rate was increased by Rs 31 per kg and fixed at Rs 171 to Rs 177 kg but not sold there. Zucchini, farm, rate was reduced by Re 1 per kg and fixed at Rs 17 to Rs 18 per kg. Zucchini, local, rate was increased by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 48 to Rs 50 per kg.

Ladyfinger price was reduced by Rs 20 per kg and fixed at Rs 40 per kg. Pumpkin rate was reduced by Rs 9 per kg and fixed at Rs 15 to Rs 16 per kg but sold at Rs 20 and pumpkin, long, was sold at Rs 50 per kg. Luffa was stable at Rs 33 to Rs 35 per kg, but sold at Rs 40 per kg. Arum rate was reduced by Rs 5 per kg and fixed at Rs 53 to Rs 55 per kg, but not sold. Green chilli rate was fixed at Rs 50 to Rs 52 per kg, but sold at Rs 60 per kg. Capsicum rate was increased by Rs 15 per kg and fixed at Rs 38 to Rs 40 per kg, but sold at Rs 60 per kg. Pea price was increased by Rs 30 per kg and fixed at Rs 110 per kg. Coriander rate was increased by Rs 10 per kg and fixed at Rs 60 per kg, but sold at Rs 200 per kg. The prices of different varieties of apples were fixed at Rs 92 to Rs 264 per kg but only apples imported from China and New Zealand were sold in the makeshift markets.

The price of banana was increased by Rs 13 per dozen and fixed at Rs 96 to Rs 99 per dozen for A-category and Rs 63 to Rs 65 for B-category per dozen, but it was not available in the makeshift markets. Papaya rate was fixed at Rs 83 to Rs 85 per kg, but not sold. Peer, Chinese, rate was fixed at Rs 136 to Rs 140 per kg, but not sold there. Dates price was fixed at Rs 129 to Rs 150 per kg, but sold at Rs 130 to 600 per kg. Melon, local, rate was fixed at Rs 58 to Rs 60 per kg and Chinese at Rs 24 to Rs 25 per kg. Watermelon rate was increased by Rs 8 per kg and fixed at Rs 19 to Rs 20 per kg.

Lokat rate was fixed at Rs 80 per kg, but not sold. Peach, A-grade, rate was fixed at Rs 136 to Rs 140 per kg, and B-grade at Rs 78 to Rs 80 per kg, while mixed variety peach was sold at Rs 140 per kg. Apricot, yellow, rate was fixed at Rs 88 to Rs 90 per kg but not sold there, Apricot, white, was fixed at Rs 165 to Rs 170 per kg, while lower quality was sold at Rs 200 per kg.

Phalsa rate was fixed at Rs 155 to Rs 160 per kg but not sold there.  The rates of different varieties of mangoes were fixed at Rs 88 to Rs 130 per kg but lower quality mangoes were sold at Rs 100 to 130 per kg. Plump price was fixed at Rs 190 per kg, but not sold there.