Price hike, unavailability of perishable items continue at Sunday bazaars

LAHORE: The government’s price control management remained effective in calling a special meeting of cabinet committee for price control in a cozy environment where both elected representatives and top bureaucracy only discussed the issue of price control, but on ground no action was taken to ensure price list and availability of perishable items at official rates in markets.

A similar meeting was also held on Saturday chaired by the Minister for Industries and Trade Mian Aslam Iqbal and Chief Secretary, Punjab, Yousaf Naseem Khokhar, but no fruitful result of the meeting was witnessed in the markets as overcharging, price list violation, escalating rates and unavailability of number of items, due to price fixation row, continued there.

The meeting ordered the officers concerned to go to filed and check price-hike and monitor the markets, but the order remained an order as no action was taken to control the price-hike. The order of the chief secretary for monitoring Model and Sunday bazaars were also flouted by the district administration.

Further surging trend in the prices of vegetables was observed this week again, besides overcharging across the city and in the makeshift and open markets. This week again many seasonal vegetables were not sold due to wrong pricing including biter gourd, zucchini, spinach, cauliflower and cabbage along with some fruits including apples, Phalsa, and papaya.

The price of potato soft skin was reduced by Rs 5 per kg was fixed at Rs 27 to 29 per kg, store variety fixed at Rs 15 to 16 per kg, and potato sugar free gained by Rs 2 per kg, fixed at Rs 19 to 20 per kg, while stored variety was sold at Rs 30 per kg.

This week official price of onion was increased by Rs 6 per kg, fixed at Rs 39 to 40 per kg, mixed sold at Rs 40 per kg while A-grade sold at Rs 50 per kg. The price of tomato was also increased by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 30 to 32 per kg. The price of lemon gained by Rs 16 per kg, fixed at Rs 102 to 108 per kg, sold at Rs 120 per kg.

Garlic local was gained by Rs 7 per kg, fixed at Rs 121 to 128 per kg, sold at Rs 160 per kg, garlic hernaiy fixed at Rs 155 to 162 per kg, sold at Rs 200 per kg and garlic Chinese was fixed at Rs 184 to 192 per kg, sold at Rs 240 per kg.

Ginger Chinese gained by Rs 28 per kg, fixed at Rs 231 to 241 per kg, not sold, at Rs 300 to 320 per kg.

Brinjal was gained by Rs 3 per kg, fixed at Rs 34 to 36 per kg, not sold on wrong pricing issue.

Both cucumber farm and local was fixed at Rs 47 to 49 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg.

Biter gourd local was further increased by Rs 21 per kg, fixed at Rs 73 to 77 per kg, not sold on pricing issue.

Spinach was fixed at Rs 12 to 14 kg, also not sold there on pricing issue.

Zucchini local was fixed at Rs 57 to 60 per kg, sold at Rs 70 per kg.

Cauliflower was fixed at Rs 38 to 41 per kg, sold at Rs 80 per kg, and cabbage was fixed at Rs 57 to 60 per kg, sold at Rs 70 per kg.

Pumpkin was reduced by Rs 10 per kg, fixed Rs 24 to 26 per kg, sold at Rs 30 per kg and pumpkin long was sold at Rs 80 per kg.

Luffa was stable at Rs 49 to 51 per kg.

Lady finger was increased by Rs 11 per kg, fixed Rs 59 to 62 per kg, sold at Rs 70 per kg.

Arum was reduced by Rs 15 per kg, fixed at Rs 68 to 72 per kg, sold at Rs 80 per kg.

Green chili price was gained by Rs 15 per kg, fixed at Rs 34 to 51 per kg, sold Rs 80 per kg.

Capsicum reduced by Rs 5 per kg, fixed at Rs 78 to 85 per kg, sold at Rs 100 per kg.

Carrot was fixed at Rs 27 to 29 per kg, sold at Rs 40 per kg.

Coriander was fixed at Rs 50 to 145 per kg, sold at Rs 200 per kg.

Beans were fixed at Rs 87 per kg, sold at Rs 200 per kg.

Mangoes (Pickle) unripe were gained by Rs 6 per kg, fixed at Rs 46 per kg, sold at Rs 50 per kg.

The price of different variety of apples was fixed at Rs 112 to 172 per kg, not sold in makeshift markets.

The price of Banana A-category was fixed at Rs 59 to 62 per dozen and B-category was fixed at Rs 44 to 46 per dozen, sold at Rs 65 per dozen, while A-category was not available.

Papaya was fixed at Rs 92 per kg, sold at Rs 120 per kg.

Melon gained by Rs 29 per kg, fixed at Rs 60 per kg.

Watermelon was fixed at Rs 11 per kg, sold at Rs 20 per kg.

Phalsa was fixed at Rs 102 per kg, not sold there.

Different variety of mangoes was fixed at Rs 39 to 132 per kg, sold at Rs 85 to 150 per kg.

Peach A-category was gained by Rs 10 per kg, fixed at Rs 126 to 132 per kg, and B-category at Rs 68 to 72 per kg, while mixed quality was sold at Rs 120 to 130 per kg.

Apricot white was fixed at Rs 107 to 112 per kg, while apricot yellow was fixed 88 to 92 per kg, and sold at upto Rs 130 per kg.

Plump was fixed at Rs 78 to 122 per kg, mixed sold upto Rs 100 to 130 per kg.

Litchi was fixed at Rs 155 to 202 per kg, lower quality was sold at Rs 200 per kg.

Cantaloupe/rockmelon was fixed at Rs 34 to 51 per kg, sold upto Rs 60 per kg.