Vendors continue to fleece citizens with exorbitant prices

Prices of most of the commodities project surge despite official price lists in place.

LAHORE: Though official price lists indicate a drop in prices of most of the seasonal fruits and vegetables, profiteering in the open markets continues unabated owing to an ineffective price control mechanism.

A number of citizens complained greengrocers or street vendors were demanding prices of their choice. A citizen, Karamat Bhatti, pointed out that everywhere in the city vendors were openly fleecing people. They were also not displaying pricelist as required under the law and nobody was taking action against them.

“It seems both thieves and cops have teamed up against common citizens. I believe all the traders and vendors are fleecing citizens in connivance with people whose responsibility is to stop them from overcharging and profiteering,” he remarked.

Similar remarks were made by several other consumers. A Model Town resident Kashif Khan said there was a great buzz about ‘fruit boycott’ campaign on social media but the campaign could not make impression in true sense.

“A small number of people might have boycotted fruits from their Iftar tables but most people did not pay attention to this social media-driven campaign. But it does not mean that social media is ineffective like our price control mechanism or Pakistanis cannot bring a change,” he said.



A survey of different Ramazan bazaars show only bananas and melons were available in most makeshift markets. Citizen complained a few vendors have some second-grade fruits on their stalls. A citizen, Naseem, said there was hardly any difference in fruits prices in Ramazan bazaars and open markets but open market had much better quality. In Ramazan bazaars vendors were selling substandard products right under the nose of the government,” she said.

Market survey highlights that after import from India, lemon prices witnessed a drop of Rs150 a kilogramme in open market. Indian lemons were being sold in open markets for Rs190-200 a kilogramme. But these were still not available at stalls in Ramazan bazaars, except agricultural market committee’s stall that had fixed a sale limit of half kilogramme for a buyer.

Comparison of official pricelists shows that traders have already started jacking up prices of tomatoes. Data shows tomato price have already doubled during the last fortnight and traders claim it would further swell near Eid as local tomato crop is badly hurt by the harsh summer heat. Muhammad Butta, a tomato vendor, hinted that price of tomato would touch Rs90-100 a kilogramme during Eid if surplus quantities were not imported from the neighbouring country.

Pricelist shows that the rate of potato was fixed at Rs31-33 a kilogramme, while the price of a sugar-free potato variety was fixed at Rs28-30 a kilogramme. Stored potato price was fixed at Rs21- 23 a kilogramme. Onion price remained stable as it was being traded for Rs18-20 a kilogramme in the city.

Garlic price was fixed at Rs141-146 a kilogramme while the second best quality garlic price was at Rs107-110 a kilogramme, however, it was being traded for Rs140-150 a kilogramme in open markets.

Spinach price was surged by Rs3 a kilogramme and fixed at Rs24-25 a kilogramme but the same was sold for Rs30 a kilogramme in most markets.

Prices of different varieties of apples were fixed between Rs88 and Rs260 a kilogramme. But only Chinese and New Zealand apple varieties were available on most shops and Ramazan bazaars in the city. Both varieties were sold for Rs240-260 a kilogramme. The price of bananas surged by Rs3 per dozen fixed at Rs99-102 per dozen for A-category and Rs63-65 for B-category per dozen, but not available in makeshift markets.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 5^th, 2017.