Vegetable prices 20pc higher than last year monsoon

LAHORE:The prices of vegetables were witnessed sharp increase alongside overcharging and open violations of the officially notified price list in the absence of any checks and balances from the government in the market. Every year the price of vegetables increased in monsoon as it recorded during the last 10 days. However, the prices of the vegetables were never increased with this quantum. This year the price of vegetables increased almost 20 to 25 percent higher than the last year. Further, non-existence of the price control mechanism is adding to the inflation due to overcharging by the sellers.

Across the city, overcharging recorded as the sellers refused to sell any perishable item at the official rate and asked the buyers to go to the shop where it is being sold at official rate. They are daring enough to ask the buyers to make complaint at any forum as no one can touch them. Even the complaint mechanism of the government did not take action on the consumers’ complaints so the sellers have no fear of complaints.

It is almost a month since the government ended the lockdown and the markets resumed the businesses across the province. However, the district administration is not re-opening the weekly makeshift markets established on Sunday in few localities of the city as the majority of the bazaars were already gradually closed by the administration.

A senior official said that district administration was reluctant due to reasons best known to the high-ups. He said that model bazaars established by the industry department in the province were not closed even in the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the district administration closed down the Sunday bazaars until further orders while no new orders were issued in this regard. The price of chicken was increased by Rs35 per kg for live bird and fixed at Rs131 to 139 per kg, while it sold at Rs160 per kg, and meat increased by Rs52 per kg, fixed at Rs202 per kg, and sold Rs230 to 275 per kg. The price of potato soft skin new A-grade was gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs70 to 74 per kg, not sold, B-Grade at Rs64 to 68 per kg, also not available, and potato sugar-free increased by Rs4 per kg, fixed at Rs54 to 58 per kg, sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg, and potato stored fixed at Rs37 to 39 per kg, and sold at Rs60 to 70 per kg.

The price of onion A-grade was gained by Rs20 per kg, fixed at Rs50 to 52 per kg, sold at Rs60 to 70 per kg, B-grade increased by Rs16 per kg, fixed at Rs46 to 48 per kg, sold at Rs50 to 55 per kg, and C-grade by Rs20 per kg, at Rs42 to 44 per kg, sold at Rs50 kg.

The price of tomato A-grade was fixed at Rs46 to 50 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg, B-grade at Rs40 to 44 per kg, sold at Rs60 to 70 per kg, and C-grade Rs34 to 38 per kg, sold at Rs50 to 60 per kg. The price of garlic local was gained by Rs40 per kg, fixed at Rs220 to 225 per kg, sold at Rs240 to 280 per kg, garlic Chinese fixed at Rs150 to 155 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg. Ginger Chinese was gained by Rs80 per kg, to Rs520 to 530 per kg, garlic Thailand by Rs95 per kg, fixed at Rs485 to 495 per kg, sold at Rs600 per kg. Cucumber farm was gained by Rs12 per kg, fixed at Rs50 to 52 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg, cucumber local price was not fixed, sold at Rs120 per kg.

Brinjal price was increased by Rs62 per kg, fixed at Rs105 to 109 per kg, sold at Rs120 per kg. Bitter gourd local price was increased by Rs37 per kg, fixed at Rs115 to 120 per kg, sold at Rs140 to 160 kg. Spinach price was not fixed but sold at Rs80 per kg. Zucchini local was increased by Rs67 per kg, fixed at Rs160 to 167 per kg, also sold at Rs200 per kg.

The price of the lemon was fixed at Rs100 to 105 per kg sold at Rs160 to 200 per kg. Pumpkin was fixed at Rs95 to 99 per kg, sold at Rs140 per kg.

Lady-finger was gained by Rs37 per kg, unchanged at Rs110 to 115 per kg, sold at Rs140 per kg. Luffa was also increased by 21 per kg, fixed at Rs70 to 73 per kg, sold at Rs100 per kg. Arum was gained by Rs23 per kg, fixed at Rs105 to 109 per kg, sold at Rs140 per kg.