Food is becoming just too expensive

Islamabad: Despite city authorities’ efforts the price of almost all the necessary food items has gone higher. The current time has seen the inflated prices of sugar, rice, wheat, edible oil and lentil. Now we are experiencing the highest record of food inflation in the city’s history.

“I have almost cut out vegetables from the daily diet altogether, due to the inordinate rise in their prices. The price of vegetables made me crazy while I was shopping at my neighbourhood market. Although I draw quite a decent salary I can’t afford to buy vegetables at such a high price as I have to pay my bills and other utility charges,” says Nadia Abbas, an English medium school teacher.

“A monopolized market, hoarding of grains and food with the intention to sell them at higher prices later, the presence of multiple middle-men between farmer and retail consumer and the culture of extortion in different phases from production to sales are some of the reasons of food price hike. These reasons of price hike can be regulated and controlled by the authorities,” says Aleena Zaidi, a government employee.

“Consumers belonging to middle income groups like me cannot afford fish, meat or vegetables with high prices. As a result, we are living on carbohydrate intake only. We cannot afford beef or mutton. I can hardly remember the time other than Eidul Azha when my family ate meat,” says Sundus Naqvi, a labourer.

Eman Ali, a welfare worker, says: “Loopholes in the mechanism of the authorities to keep the food market within the reach of the poor are a real problem. The right to food of people can be preserved by making their prices stable in the market. Because of frequent food price hikes, people are forced to ignore their need for a balanced diet and consume as less as they can to adjust their expenses.”

“I try to adjust to the rise in food prices by being ingenious when preparing daily meals. I use some mashed sweet potatoes in cooked pulses to make it thicker so that a less amount of pulses, costlier than the potatoes, is required. I need 500 grams of lentil daily for four of my family members. But I cannot afford. At the same time I cannot ignore its necessity in my daily menu, so I have to think smart,” says Aalia Batool, a housewife.

“In a city where people spend around 70 per cent of their earnings buying food only and the authorities play an inactive role to ensure food at affordable prices for all, people like me find the suggestion to eat less as the only viable solution to tackle the raging food prices,” says Rubab Haider, a tailor.