Prices of fruits, vegetables skyrocket in Ramazan bazaars

Shoppers complain government’s price control mechanism is ineffective

LAHORE: Despite tall claims made by the provincial government to control the prices of fruits, vegetables and other commodities, the common man could hardly afford even essentials due to profiteering in city markets on Sunday.



Citizens kept complaining about the prices of everyday use commodities. They complained greengrocers, shopkeepers and street vendors, were all busy in fleecing citizens but there was no mechanism of effective price control and management. A shopper, Mrs Manzoor pointed out that hardly any shopkeeper or street vendor displayed price lists in city markets and nobody  bothered about compliance.

She said the government had diverted all its focus towards Ramazan bazaars and left citizens at the mercy of profiteers and hoarders in the city. She said a couple of weeks ago bananas were available in the city for Rs50-60 a dozen but all of a sudden its price has increased by 200%.

“In official price list the government has fixed bananas price between Rs99 and 105 for open market and Rs96-99 for Ramazan bazaars but the fruit is being sold at the asking price of Rs175-Rs180 a dozen,” she said.

Another citizen, Jawad Ali told The Express Tribune that he visited Shadman Ramazan bazaar and found a good air-conditioned environment. People were sitting on sofas and enjoying their shopping. “But all these cosmetic arrangements proved useless as most seasonal fruits except mangoes, watermelon and peach were not available on most of the stalls. Bananas were available only on market committee stall,” he said.



He was of the view that the basic purpose of setting up these parallel markets was to facilitate people by offering essential commodities at discounted rates. “But despite giving billions of rupees in subsidies, no respite is expected as most of these funds will be wasted in cosmetic arrangements and other administrative expenditures,” he remarked.

According to the official prices list issued by the Lahore Market Committee, the price of spinach had doubled during past seven days. Data showed spinach was available for Rs9-10 a kilogramme a week ago, was being sold for Rs22-24 a kilogramme on Sunday.

Similarly, lemon, which was available at market committee stalls projected over 22% increase in its price. It was available for Rs171-177 a kilogramme in Ramazan bazaars and sold for Rs200-225 a kilogramme in open market due to the absence of proper price control mechanism.

Watermelon price was fixed at Rs24-25 a kilogramme in the official price list but it was being traded at Rs40-50 a kilogramme in open market and Ramazan bazaars. Citizens complained most vendors were charging prices of their choice even for second grade fruit.



Official price list showed the government had notified price of imported New Zealand apples at Rs255-264 for Ramazan bazaars and Rs264-270 for open market but imported apple was being sold for Rs340-350 a kilogramme in open market. Falsa was being sold for Rs190-200 a kilogramme while its official price was Rs155-160 a kilogramme.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2017.