Fruit, vegetable rates up in weekly makeshift markets

LAHORE: Prices of majority of fruits and vegetables increased this week while number of perishable items, besides meat and flour were not sold in the weekly makeshift markets of the city.

Majority of vegetables were either missing in these markets or sold on double rates than the official price. The vendors kept hidden majority of vegetables, including luffa, ladyfinger, lemon local, bitter gourd, cauliflower, zucchini local, capsicum and others with them and sold them almost double and more than double to the official rates. Further, the market committee even issued higher rates to lower grade items, such as potato stored and sugar-free rates were issued for potato new price, cucumber rate were issued Rs90 per kg, instead of official rates of Rs55 per kg.

The vendors said that the rates of vegetables at wholesale level are high these days while the market committee was issuing wrong consumer price. Thus, it has created artificial shortage of vegetables in the makeshift markets. They said that wholesale auction rate of cauliflower was Rs90 per kg while the market committee issued consumer Rs75 per kg. Thus the vendors refused to sell despite having the same with them. However, they sold it to those who were willing to pay Rs120 to 130 per kg.

Further, the vendors sold lower grade items at A-grade price which was never checked by any authorities and for A-grade items they overcharged the consumers. Thus, they actually overcharged consumers in any case.

This week the price of potato new was reduced by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs30 to 32 per kg and potato stored at Rs11 to 12 per kg and sugar-free fixed at Rs18 to 20 per kg, while market committee issued stored and sugar-free rates at Rs32 per kg. The price of onion was reduced by Re one per kg, fixed at Rs25 to 27 per kg.

The price of tomato was gained by Rs8 per kg, fixed at Rs64 to 68 per kg, not available after midday due wrong pricing issue while in open market sold at Rs120 per kg. Garlic China was stable at Rs88 to 90 per kg, and garlic local at Rs68 to 70 per kg, it was sold at Rs80 per kg, and Chinese variety was sold at Rs100 per kg.

Ginger Chinese was declined by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs174 to 180 per kg, and sold at Rs200 to 240 per kg. The price of brinjal was gained by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs28 to 30 per kg. Cucumber was fixed at Rs53 to 55 per kg, while market committee issued its rate at Rs90 per kg, and sold at Rs100 per kg.

Bitter gourd was increased by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs73 to 75 per kg, not available there. Spinach was gained by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs23 to 25 per kg, sold at Rs30 per kg. Lemon local was gained by Rs4 per kg, fixed at Rs101 to 104 per kg, sold at Rs150 per kg, lemon Chinese by Rs15 per kg, was fixed at Rs73 to 75 per kg, sold at Rs100 per kg. Zucchini local was reduced by Rs20 per kg, fixed at Rs68 to 70 per kg, sold at Rs90 per kg.

Pumpkin was increased by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs38 to 40 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs40 per kg and good quality at Rs70 per kg. Green chili was gained by Rs3 per kg, fixed at Rs63 to 65 per kg, sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg. Capsicum was increased by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs83 to 85 per kg, sold at Rs100 per kg.

Ladyfinger was gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs68 to 70 per kg, sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg. Sweet pumpkin was fixed at Rs9 to 10 per kg, not sold there on wrong pricing. Luffa was increased by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs40, sold at Rs60 to 80 per kg. Arum was gained by Rs5 per kg fixed at Rs38 to 40 per kg, sold at Rs50 per kg.

Coriander was stable at Rs150 per kg, sold at Rs400 per kg. Carrot price was fixed at Rs45 per kg, sold at Rs50 to 60 per kg. Cauliflower was gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs73 to 75 per kg, not available there on wrong pricing, and cabbage fixed at Rs45 to 50 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg. Pea was fixed at Rs102 to 105 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg.

Different varieties of apples were fixed at Rs36 to 100 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs60 to 100 per kg. Banana A-quality was fixed at Rs43 to 45 per dozen, and B-quality at Rs28 to 30 per dozen, while B-quality was sold at Rs50 per dozen. Papaya was fixed at Rs90 per kg, not sold.

Peach A-category was gained by Rs20 per kg, fixed at Rs145 to 150 per kg, B-category at Rs97 to 100 per kg and sold at Rs150 per kg. Mangoes of different variety were fixed at Rs53 to 130 per kg, sold at Rs100 to 200 per kg. Grapes Sunderkhani was fixed at Rs184 to 190 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg, Grapes black was fixed at Rs136 to 140 per kg, and grapes Gola was fixed at Rs88 to 90 per kg not sold there. Guava was gained by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs43 to 45 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg.

Both Pomegranate Qandhari and local were increased by Rs20 per kg, fixed at 145 to 150 per kg, pomegranate local was fixed at Rs121 to 125 per kg, lower quality was sold at A-quality rates. Sweet fruit A-category was fixed at Rs97 to 100 per dozen, sold at Rs150 per dozen, and B-category was fixed at Rs58 to 60 per dozen, sold at Rs100 per dozen.