Vegetables, fruitsin short supply at Sunday bazaars

LAHORE: In the absence of administrative staff and insufficient supply of vegetables and fruits, vendors sold even B and C categories of items at exorbitant rates at Sunday bazaars here on Sunday.

Eid holidays continued as both administration and vendors did not return to their work, causing unavailability of most of vegetables and fruits.

Only at Shadman Sunday bazaar administrative staff was present but more than 60 per cent stalls were empty there. A vendor, Boota, told The News that almost 80 per cent of fruit sellers did not return to the bazaar. A very few vendors have brought one or two kinds of fruits, thinking low sale after Eid holidays, he said. Vendors told The News that most of the vegetables were not auctioned in Badamibagh market due to which vegetables were not available in Sunday bazaars. They said supply will improve by next Sunday. In the absence of administrative staff and insufficient supply, vendors openly overcharged and sold B and C categories items in makeshift markets. Rates of all seasonal fruits were high. Cucumber, lemon, spinach, coriander, luffa, ladyfinger, capsicum, local zucchini (tinday desi), bitter gourd, cauliflower, cabbage, pea, papaya, apricot, pear, corn, pomegranate, grapes and plump were not sold at Sunday bazaars.

This week price of potatoes new was reduced by Re one per kg, fixed at Rs 29 to 31 per kg and potatoes stored at Rs 11 to 12 per kg and sugar-free fixed at Rs 18 to 20 per kg, and it were sold at Rs 31 per kg.

The price of onion was stable at Rs 26 to 28 per kg. Rainwater affected onion was sold at Rs 28 per kg and good quality at Rs 35 to 40 per kg. Price of tomato increased by Rs 2 per kg, and was fixed at Rs 49 to 52 per kg and sold at Rs 50 per kg. Garlic China price declined by Rs 10 per kg, was fixed at Rs 78 to 80 per kg, and garlic local was fixed at Rs 53 to 55 per kg, it was sold at Rs 80 to and China variety was sold at 100 per kg. Ginger Chinese was reduced by Rs 15 per kg, fixed at Rs 136 to 140 per kg, and sold at Rs 160 per kg.

The price of brinjal was reduced by Rs 3 per kg, fixed at Rs 21 to 22 per kg, sold at Rs 25 per kg. Cucumber was reduced by Rs 20 per kg, fixed at Rs 28 to 30 per kg, sold at Rs 30 to 60 per kg. Bitter gourd was stable at Rs 38 to 40 per kg, not available there. Spinach was unchanged at Rs 14 to 15 per kg, sold at Rs 25 to 30 per kg. Lemon local was fixed Rs 88 to 90 per kg, not sold there.

Zucchini local Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 53 to 55 per kg, not available on account of wrong pricing issue. Pumpkin declined by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 19 to 20 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs 30 per kg. Green chilli was reduced by Rs 15 per kg, fixed at Rs 48 to 55 per kg, sold at Rs 80 to 100 per kg. Capsicum declined by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 58 to 60 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing issue.

Ladyfinger was fixed at Rs 33 to 35 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg. Sweet pumpkin was fixed at Rs 7 to 8 per kg, not sold there on wrong pricing. Luffa gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 35, sold at Rs 40 per kg.

Arum was reduced by Rs 2 per kg fixed at Rs 21 to 22 per kg, not sold there. Coriander was fixed Rs 80 per kg, sold at Rs 300 per kg. Carrot price was fixed at Rs 35 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg. Cauliflower gained by Rs 5 per kg, fixed Rs 63 to 65 per kg, and cabbage fixed at Rs 68 to 70 per kg, not available. Pea was fixed Rs 97 to 100 per kg, sold at Rs 200 per kg. Different variety of apples was fixed at Rs 33 to 100 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs 80 to 120 per kg.

Banana A-quality was fixed at Rs 48 to 50 per dozen, and B-quality at Rs 28 to 30 per dozen, while B-quality was sold at Rs 50 per dozen. Papaya was fixed at Rs 92 to 95 per kg, not sold.

Peach A category was fixed at Rs 117 to 120 per kg, B-category at Rs 73 to 75 per kg and mixed sold at Rs 120 per kg. Apricot was fixed at Rs 126 to 130 per kg, not available there. Mangoes of different variety were fixed at Rs 43 to 120 per kg, sold at Rs 100 to 200 per kg. Plump was fixed at Rs 145 to 150 per kg, not available on account of wrong pricing. Grapes Sunderkhani was fixed at Rs 165 to 170 per kg, Grapes black was fixed at Rs 126 to 130 per kg, and Grapes Gola was fixed Rs 92 to 95 per kg not sold there. Guava was fixed at Rs 23 to 25 per kg, sold at Rs 50 to 60 per kg. Peer was fixed at Rs 58 to 60 per kg, not available there. Pomegranate Qandhari was fixed 136 to 140 per kg, Pomegranate local was fixed at Rs 101 to 104 per kg, not sold there.