close
Friday March 29, 2024

People await relief at Sunday bazaars

By Jawwad Rizvi
February 04, 2019

LAHORE: Massive overcharging continued in the weekly makeshift markets this week while Adviser to Chief Minister Akram Chaudhry and the ministers concerned remain active in paying lip service to the claim of relief to the public from inflation and artificial price hike.

This week again a number of seasonal vegetables, including carrot, brinjal, radish, mongray, cauliflower, capsicum and bitter gourd, were not sold in the makeshift markets due to wrong pricing issue while the adviser ignored the real issue and focused the non-issues like parking and others during his “surprise visit” to a makeshift bazaar. A number of seasonal vegetables, including carrot, brinjal, radish, mongray, cauliflower and capsicum, were not sold for the last third week in the Sunday bazaars due to pricing issue. Interestingly, the vendors brought the items to sell but they refused to sell them when lower prices were issued for the items by the market committee officials as compared to their buying prices.

The market committee officials said they just followed the official price list issued by the Lahore Market Committee secretary after signature of the deputy commissioner and other officials. In almost all the makeshift markets, a number of vegetables and some fruits were not sold on account of wrong pricing, but just outside these bazaars, the items were sold at the price more than 50 per cent to 100 per cent of the official rates. Additionally, vendors of the makeshift markets were willing to sell the items which were not put on display, if the buyers were ready to pay higher price than the official price. Rotten vegetables and fruits were sold at A-grade rates while A-grade items were not sold in any makeshift market of the City.

This week, the official price of potato was reduced by Re1 per kg and fixed at Rs7 to Rs9 per kg while in the open market it was sold at Rs20 to Rs25 per kg. Onion rate was stable at Rs 17 to Rs19 per kg but lower quality onion was sold at Rs 19 per kg. The price of tomato was further increased by Rs 26 per kg and fixed at Rs 66 to Rs72 per kg but lower quality tomato was sold at Rs 72 per kg while in open market tomato was sold at Rs120 per kg.

Garlic, local, rate was stable at Rs83 to Rs85 per kg but sold at Rs to Rs120 per kg. Garlic, Chinese, rate was fixed at Rs117 to Rs120 per kg but sold at Rs160 per kg. Ginger, Chinese, rate was reduced by Rs20 per kg and fixed at Rs155 to Rs160 per kg but it was sold at Rs200 per kg. Garlic, Thai, price was fixed at Rs 131 to Rs135 per kg but sold at Rs160 per kg. Brinjal rate was reduced by Rs2 per kg and fixed at Rs26 to Rs28 per kg, but it was not sold there on account of wrong pricing issue.

Cucumber, farm, rate was stable at Rs46 to Rs48 per kg but sold at Rs50 to Rs60 per kg. Bitter gourd rate was increased by Rs20 per kg and fixed at Rs97 to Rs100 per kg but it was not available on pricing issue. Lemon, Chinese, rate was stable at Rs43 to Rs45 per kg but sold at Rs60 per kg. Methi price was reduced by Rs 3 per kg and fixed at Rs21 to Rs22 per kg but sold at Rs30 per kg. Zucchini, long, price was stable at Rs36 to Rs38 per kg and Zucchini, farm, at Rs38 to Rs40 per kg but both sold at Rs50 per kg.

Cabbage rate was fixed at Rs11 to Rs12 per kg but sold at Rs20 per kg. Pumpkin rate was raised by Rs5 per kg and fixed at Rs48 to Rs50 per kg but was not sold on wrong pricing. Turnip rate was increased by Rs2 per kg and fixed at Rs11 to Rs12 per kg but sold at Rs15 to Rs20 per kg. Green chilli rate was increased by Rs10 per kg and fixed at Rs58 to Rs60 per kg but sold at Rs 80 per kg. Capsicum rate was stable at Rs78 to Rs80 per kg, but not sold on wrong pricing. Pea rate was increased by Rs4 per kg and fixed at Rs30 to Rs32 per kg while mixed quality pea was sold at Rs32 per kg.

Radish rate was increased by Rs2 per kg and fixed at Rs9 to Rs10 per kg but was not sold on pricing issue, while outside the Sunday bazaars, it was sold at Rs30 per kg. Carrot rate was increased by Re 1 per kg and fixed at Rs12 to Rs13 per kg, but it was also sold on wrong pricing issue, while outside, it was sold at Rs20 per kg. Mustard leaf rate was fixed at Rs23 to Rs25 per kg but sold at Rs30 per kg. Coriander rate was fixed at Rs35 per kg but sold at Rs160 per kg. Beans were sold at Rs200 per kg against the official price of Rs 160 per kg. The prices of different varieties of apples were increased by Rs10 per kg and fixed at Rs58 to Rs130 per kg but sold at Rs100 to Rs150 per kg. Banana, A- category, rate was stable at Rs63 to Rs65 per dozen but it was not sold there. B-category banana price was fixed at Rs38 to Rs40 per dozen and it was sold at Rs 65 per dozen. Musmai rate was fixed at Rs88 to Rs90 per dozen but sold at Rs80 to Rs120 per dozen. The prices of different varieties of citrus fruits were fixed at Rs48 to Rs90 per dozen but sold at Rs 60 to Rs150 per dozen.