Artificial price hike continued on Eid days

LAHORE

Price control committee’s claim to constitute special teams to monitor rates during Eid holidays in the city proved baseless. 

A wave of artificial price hike started in the city a day before the Eid and continued in the absence of any price monitoring mechanism. Sellers charged high prices for their perishable items from the buyers. Price control committee chairman Mian Usman had announced special teams in the city to monitor rates of perishable items during Eid holidays. It was just an announcement likewise the other government’s claims to provide relief to the public from artificial price hike. 

The milk sellers overcharged the consumers taking extra money of Rs 5 to 10 per litre milk, sold at Rs 75 to 80 per litre and curd at Rs 100 per kilogram against the rates of Rs 85 per kilogram.

The meat sellers followed the trend of overcharging the consumers. Chicken meat was sold at Rs 300 per kg, beef at Rs 500 per kg, mutton at Rs 900 to 1000 per kg, compared to the official rates of Rs 350 and 750 per kg respectively, while no price was fixed for chicken meat for Eid days so that every seller was free to charge high price.

Famous meat shops sold chicken at Rs 450 to 500 per kg while mutton at Rs 1000 per 900 grams and beef at Rs 500 to 600 per 900 gram. It seems that the government had given free hand to these shops to charge their own rates as they kept selling meat much higher rates in routine too.

The price of tomato reached Rs 80 to 100 per kg during days. Coriander was sold at Rs 600 per kg, (small bundle of 50 grams at Rs 60), mint at Rs 30 per bundle, green chili at Rs 120 to 140 per kg, lemon at Rs 200 per kg. 

Garlic was sold at Rs 150 to 180 per kg, Ginger Chinese price was sold at Rs 120 to 140 per kg. Onion was sold at Rs 30 to 35 per kg. Mangoes of different variety was sold at Rs 100 to 140 per kg, plump at Rs 200 per kg, peach at Rs 150 to 180 per kg, apricot at Rs 160 to 180 per kg, jambolan at Rs 120 to 140 per kg, banana at Rs 120 to 150 per dozen, apples at Rs 200 to 400 per kg.