Pindiites trying to find ways to tackle rising food prices

At regular intervals, the prices of certain commodities such as sugar, wheat, edible oil, eggs, lentils, vegetables, and fruits are witnessing a sharp rise in the market. Things have not been rosy for Pindiites as they feel frustrated and helpless every time they go to a market or a grocery shop; food is getting just too expensive.

Anika Hussain, having three kids was at her wit’s end trying to cope with the rise in food prices. “The only way I can keep my expenses within my means is by cutting down on the number of items. For a middle-class housewife like me, the struggle for survival has become difficult. This year, buying food for my family has been an even greater challenge,” says Anika.

“I try to adjust to the rise in food prices by being imaginative when preparing daily meals. I add some mashed sweet potato in cooked pulses to make it thicker so that a less amount of pulses, which is costlier than the potatoes, is required. I cannot ignore the necessity of pulses in my menu, so I have to think smart”, says Shamama Syed.

“I have cut out vegetables from the daily diet altogether, due to the undue rise in their prices. Their prices make me crazy while I do shopping in the kitchen market in my neighbourhood. I cannot afford to buy vegetables at such a high price as I have to pay my bills and other utility charges. As a result, I have given up on most vegetables and just sticking to the basic items,” says Noor-ul-Huda Kazmi.

“Consumers belonging to middle-income groups face a great deal of constraint trying to adjust to the cost of living, especially in terms of managing the daily menu.

Most of the people like us are living on carbohydrate intake only. We cannot afford fish, beef, or mutton because of their high prices. I can hardly remember the time other than Eidul Azha when I and my family have eaten meat,” says Sameen Jafri.

“Whether it is the high production cost, the wrath of monsoon damaging grains and vegetables, monopolized market, hoarding, the middle-men between producer and retail consumer and the culture of extortion in different phases from production to sales, described as some of the reasons for food price hike; the inevitable outcome is the skyrocketing prices of food for the people,” says Tasneem Qazalbaash.

In a city where people spend most of their earnings on food items only and the government plays an inactive role to ensure affordable prices, persons like Anika, Shamama, Noor-ul-Huda, and Sameen find the suggestion of eating less as the only viable solution to tackle the raging food prices.