Apps fail to control overcharging on perishable items

LAHORE:The ministers, elected representatives and bureaucracy in the Punjab are submitting the good performance report on inflation and prices of essential items to the higher offices of the government but on ground they have left the buyers at the mercy of the overcharging, price list violation and sale of the substandard items at official rates.

The industries minister used to issue orders to control overcharging and taking stern action against the officials who are ignoring his orders while practically no improvement was witnessed. Now another wave of the price hike, artificial inflation is around the corner in the forthcoming holy month of Ramazan as the stockiest already started hoarding the items which consumption increases this month. According to a handout, the Punjab government continued crackdown on profiteering and hoarding across the province and during last two months arrested 906 profiteers alongside registering 971 cases against violators and imposing Rs70 million fines on shopkeepers. However, the sellers made minimum five times more money from buyers. In Lahore, price list was not implemented anywhere in the city which also exposed the claims of the authorities concerned even after launching of an App to monitor the field performance of the assistant commissioners.

Further, Qeemat App launched by the Punjab government also failed. The sellers have no fear even one complainant is taking his picture and uploading it on the App to register a complaint against price violations which reflects that no action would be taken on such complaints too. This week again surging trend in the poultry prices continued. The price of chicken live bird increased by Rs7, fixed at Rs228 per kg, while it sold at Rs240 to 260 per kg and chicken meat by Rs11 per kg, fixed at Rs331 per kg and sold at Rs350 to 400 per kg.

The price of potato soft skin new A-grade was increased by Re one per kg, fixed at 33 to 35 per kg, B-Grade Rs29 to 31 per kg, mixed sold at Rs40 to 45 per kg, potato white by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs24 to 26 per kg, sold at Rs33 to 35 per kg. The price of onion A-grade was gained by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs25 to 27 per kg, sold at Rs35 to 40 per kg, B-grade fixed at Rs21 to 23 per kg, and C-grade at Rs17 to 19 per kg, B&C grade mixed sold at Rs25 to 30 per kg. The price of tomato A-grade was increased by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs30 to 32 per kg, sold at Rs50 to 60 kg, B-grade fixed at Rs26 to 28 per kg, and C-grade at Rs22 to 24 per kg, B and C quality mixed sold at Rs30 to 40 per kg.

The price of garlic local was reduced by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs250 to 260 per kg, sold at Rs320 to 360 per kg, garlic Chinese fixed at Rs185 to 190 per kg, sold at Rs200 to 240 per kg. Ginger Chinese was fixed at Rs250 to 260 per kg, and Ginger Thai at Rs230 to 240 per kg, and sold at Rs280 to 360 per kg.

Cucumber farm was gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs45 to 47 per kg, sold at Rs50 to 60 per kg, cucumber local price was not fixed, sold at Rs120 to 140 per kg.

Brinjal price was gained by Rs3 per kg, fixed at Rs73 to 76 per kg, sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg. Bitter gourd was gained by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs175 to 182 per kg not sold. Spinach farm unchanged at Rs25 to 27 per kg, spinach local fixed at 27 to 29 per kg, both sold at Rs40 per kg. Both Zucchini farm and long was gained by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs30 to 32 per kg, sold at Rs40 to 50 per kg, Zucchini local price was not issued but sold at Rs200 per kg. The price of lemon Chinese was increased by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs82 to 85 per kg, sold at Rs120 to 160 per kg. Pumpkin was increased by Rs11 per kg, fixed at Rs75 to 78 per kg, sold at Rs120 per kg. Ladyfinger was reduced by Rs15 per kg, fixed at Rs165 to 172 per kg, sold at Rs250.

Green chili price A-grade was reduced, fixed at Rs120 to 124 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg, B-grade by Rs30 per kg, fixed at Rs100 to 104 per kg, sold at Rs120 to 160 per kg. Capsicum price was reduced by Rs9 per kg, fixed at Rs62 to 64 per kg, sold at Rs100 per kg.

Price of cauliflower was gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs25 to 27 per kg, sold at Rs30 to 35 per kg and cabbage by Rs2 per kg, fixed at Rs22 to 24 per kg, sold at Rs30 per kg.

The pea price remained unchanged at Rs45 to 47 per kg, sold at Rs40 to 60 per kg. Carrot Chinese was reduced by Rs8 per kg, fixed at Rs32 to 34 per kg, sold at Rs80 per kg, carrot local reduced by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs25 to 27 per kg, sold at Rs30 to 40 per kg.

Coriander was gained by Rs2 per bundle, fixed at Rs20 to 22 per bundle, sold at Rs30 per bundle. Fenugreek (Methi) was unchanged at Rs45 to 47 per kg, sold at Rs60 to 80 per kg. Turnip price was unchanged at Rs20 to 22 per kg, sold at Rs30 to 40 per kg. Radish was fixed at Rs25 to 27 per kg, sold at Rs30 to 40 per kg.

Beetroot was increased by Rs10 per kg, fixed at Rs45 to 50 per kg, sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg.

Sweet potato was unchanged at Rs60 to 63 per kg, sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg. The price of different variety of apples was gained by Rs7 to 15 per kg, fixed at Rs52 to 135 per kg, B-grade sold at Rs60 to 125 per kg, and A grade was sold at Rs140 to 200 per kg.

The price of Banana A-category gained by Rs14 per dozen, fixed at Rs95 to 100 per dozen, sold at Rs160 to 200 per dozen and B-category by Rs10 per dozen, fixed at Rs57 to 60 per dozen, mixed sold at Rs80 to 120 per dozen, and C-category fixed at Rs43 to 45 per dozen, sold at Rs60 to 80 per dozen. Papaya was unchanged at Rs145 to 150 per kg, sold at Rs160 to 200 per kg.

Grape fruit was fixed at Rs17 to 18 per piece, sold at Rs15 to 25 per piece. Price of Pomegranate Bedana gained by Rs25 per kg, fixed at Rs405 to 415 per kg, sold at Rs600 per kg, Kandhari was fixed at Rs220 to 225 per kg, sold at Rs300 to 350 per kg, Danedar fixed at Rs225 to 230 per kg, sold at Rs400 per kg.

Guava A grade was gained by Rs9 per kg, fixed at Rs90 to 95 per kg sold at Rs120 to 140 per kg, B-grade at 57 to 60 per kg, mixed sold at Rs80 to 100 per kg. Musami was gained by Rs15 per dozen, fixed at Rs60 to 95 per dozen, sold at Rs120 to 200 per dozen.

Price of citrus fruit special was increased by Rs20 per dozen, fixed at Rs150 to 155 per dozen, sold at Rs300 per dozen, citrus fruit A grade was increased by Rs14 per dozen, fixed at Rs79 to 82 per dozen, sold at Rs120 to 150 per dozen, B-grade was fixed at Rs52 to 54 per dozen, sold at Rs80 to 100 per dozen.

Strawberry A-grade was fixed at Rs280 to 290 per kg, sold at Rs400 per kg, B-grade at Rs180 to 185 per kg, sold at Rs200 per kg. Dates Irani was fixed at Rs205 to 210 per kg, sold at Rs400 per kg.