No letup in overcharging in Sunday bazaars

LAHORE: No respite to the public from overcharging and artificial price hike witnessed as the rates of all the perishable items, besides meat and other items remained on the rise while violation of price lists by the sellers added woes to the miseries of the commoners.

This week the rates of majority of fruits and vegetables were further increased while meat and flour were not sold in the weekly makeshift markets of the city too. Due to wrong pricing majority of vegetables was either missing in these markets or sold double or more than double the official price issued in the price list. Methi price was fixed at Rs80 per kg, while sold at Rs200 per kg, likewise cucumber at Rs70 instead of Rs50 rates.

The vendors were not selling majority of vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, zucchini local, cabbage, pea, and sold higher than the official rates, including luffa, ladyfinger, lemon local, bitter gourd, capsicum and. Further, the market committee even issued higher rates for lower grade items, such as potato stored and sugar-free rates were issued for potato new, cucumber rate were issued Rs70 per kg, instead of official rates of Rs50 per kg. This week the price of potato new was gained by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs32 to 34 per kg and potato stored at Rs10 to 11 per kg and sugar-free fixed at Rs18 to 20 per kg, while market committee issued stored and sugar-free rates at Rs34 per kg and potato new was not available there.

The price of onion was reduced by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs23 to 25 per kg. The price of tomato was gained by Rs16 per kg, fixed at Rs78 to 84 per kg, sold at Rs85 to 90 per kg, and in open market sold at Rs120 to 140 per kg. Garlic China was gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs92 to 95 per kg, and garlic local at Rs68 to 70 per kg, it was sold at Rs80 per kg, and China variety was sold at Rs120 per kg. Ginger Chinese was increased by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs189 to 195 per kg, and sold at Rs200 to 240 per kg. The price of brinjal was gained by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs38 to 40 per kg, sold at Rs50 per kg. Cucumber was fixed at Rs48 to 50 per kg, while market committee issued its rate at Rs50 to 70 per kg. Bitter gourd was further increased by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs88 to 90 per kg, sold at Rs100 per kg. Spinach was stable at Rs23 to 25 per kg, sold at Rs30 per kg. The price of methi was fixed at Rs80 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg. Lemon local was gained by Rs6 per kg, fixed at Rs107 to 110 per kg, sold at Rs180 per kg, lemon Chinese by Rs10 per kg, was fixed at Rs83 to 85 per kg, sold at Rs100 per kg.

Zucchini local was reduced by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs53 to 55 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing issue. Pumpkin was declined by Rs22 per kg, fixed at Rs17 to 18 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs20 per kg. Green chili was unchanged at Rs63 to 65 per kg, sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg. Capsicum was increased by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs88 to 90 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing issue. Ladyfinger was stable 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 Rs50. Arum was also stable at Rs38 to 40 per kg, sold at Rs50 per kg. Coriander was reduced to Rs80 per kg, but sold at Rs300 per kg. Carrot price was fixed at Rs40 per kg, sold at Rs50 to 60 per kg.

Cauliflower was reduced by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs63 to 65 per kg, sold at Rs90 per kg, and cabbage fixed at Rs38 to 40 per kg, sold at Rs60 per kg. Pea was increased by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs107 to 110 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg.