Circle of blame: Retailers refuse to follow government price lists

Claim they are getting commodities at high prices from wholesalers.

RAWALPINDI:

The City District Government of Rawalpindi (CDGR) seems to have failed to enforce price controls on daily use items in Ramazan as shopkeepers in the main markets and weekly bazaars have fixed their own prices, ignoring the local government’s rate lists.

Almost all items for sale, including fruit and vegetables, are being sold at significantly higher rates compared to those fixed by the local administration.

According to the government list, prices of tomatoes, potatoes, radish and apples have been fixed at Rs30, Rs48, Rs42, and Rs180 per kilogramme respectively, but they are being sold at Rs40, Rs70, Rs60 and Rs240 in different markets of the garrison city.

Sasta bazaars have been established across the twin cities but are failing to provide monetary relief to the public. PHOTOS: MUHAMMAD JAVAID & HUMA CHOUDHARY/EXPRESS

Similarly, prices of bananas have been fixed at Rs190 per dozen but the fruit is being sold at Rs210 in the retail markets.

In their defence, vendors claim that high rates at wholesale markets compel them to jack up prices.

Muhammad Majeed, a fruit vendor, told The Express Tribune that wholesalers were actually not following the official rate lists and selling essential items at higher prices. Majeed claimed that vendors were getting a carton of apples at Rs1,800, costing them Rs240 per kg.

“How can we follow the rate list? If we follow it we will be going home with empty pockets,” he said, adding the government was not providing subsidy to them which leaves them at the mercy of wholesalers.

“The officials are doing nothing except issuing rate lists,” he said, adding that the authorities should consult all stakeholders before finalising prices.

Ganj Mandi Vegetable Market Vice President Raheem Zaad told The Express Tribune that the government rates do not match ground realities as wholesalers sell them items at increased rates and it is the vendors who have to bear the cost of transportation as well.”The administration should take these issues into account as we are also poor and cannot afford to run our business on losses.”

With cheap prices, comes low quality

Sasta Ramazan bazaars are no exception anymore. Muhammad Hanif Bhatti, a buyer at a local sasta bazaar, said even though the rate list was being followed at these bazaars, the quality of items was not good. He said fruit and vegetables of inferior quality were being sold in the sasta bazaars and it was better to spend more on quality items from the open market rather than buy something that will not be eaten.

Sultan Habib, another buyer, said all the items of inferior quality were brought to the sasta bazaars just to deceive the poor. “The government is just giving the impression that it is taking steps for the welfare of the common man,” he added.

Rawalpindi District Coordinator Officer Sajid Zafar Dal told The Express Tribune that the main problem was the absence of a separate fruit and vegetable market for Rawalpindi. He said he had requested Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif for a separate market for the city and the provincial premier has approved a fruit and vegetable market near Rawat.



He said work on the project would be started soon and completed in seven to eight months with the help of the provincial agriculture department.

“After having a separate market, we would be in a position to tackle the price hike issue,” he said, adding that they have set up some ‘critical markets’ in 22 No. Chungi, Commercial Market and Sadiqabad bazaar. He said 35 magistrates visited these critical markets in the first 10 days of Ramazan and fined shopkeepers and arrested 113 others for overcharging and profiteering.

“There are complaints of overcharging and fluctuation of prices and we are trying our best to discourage such trends,” he claimed.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2014.