Sky high profits: Prices of essential commodities increase manifold in Ramazan
Its open season for hoarders and profiteers as they blatantly ignore govt price lists
RAWALPINDI:
Ramazan it seems is not only a month of fasting and prayers and invoking the blessings of the almighty by doing charitable deeds it also is a month when marketeers and profiteers have an open season fleecing customers by charging exorbitant prices.
The perturbed citizens despite complaining to the authorities concerned still get no relief and have to pay through their nose for essential commodities.
The prices of vegetables and fruits, and all other basic food items have witnessed a surge of 25 per cent to 50 per cent increase in their prices, burdening the already troubled common man.
Load-shedding, hot weather disrupts routine life
Harassed citizens complain that prices of daily commodities like sugar, rice, pulses, chicken, beef, mutton, vegetables and fruit prices have shot up in local markets.
According to them shopkeepers had increased the prices of daily-use items on their own before the start of Ramadan as the authorities concerned had failed to check profiteering.
Like the previous year ,this year also the price control system of city district government appears to have failed in controlling the prices even in Ramazan.
The price lists issued by the local administration on Friday seems a showpiece in the shops as the shopkeepers are not following the prescribed rate lists on one pretext or the other. Nowadays, wholesalers and retailers, particularly of fruits and vegetables, are enjoying a free hand to fleece the consumers in the holy month despite the claims of the authorities concerned. The price of sugar has also been raised by 2 to 3 rupees per kg in the open market as sugar is available at Rs55 to 60 per kg.
Sehri at Kartarpura is new rage
Dates are available from Rs200 to Rs350 per kg, while chicken is being sold at around Rs290-300 per kg.
Ground flour (basin) is regularly used in Ramazan for making Pakoras for Iftar and its price nowadays is around Rs140 to 170 a kilo.
Yoghurt is being sold at Rs110 to 120 while a litre of milk costs Rs100 to Rs 110. Tomatoes are being sold at Rs30 per kg. potatoes Rs20 to 30. Onion Rs30 to 40. Lemon Rs 300 to 350 per kg. Wheat flour Rs800 to 830,20 kg bag while 'Chaki' wheat flour is available at Rs 60 per kg
Instead of being honest and helpful at least in the holy month the retailers exploit the needs of public in Ramazan.
Even the lower middle class person tries to eat nutritious fruits daily but how can they afford such prices. Nowadays, the citizens are bearing the burden of inflation.
Even at Sunday bazaars the prices of vegetables and fruits continued their upward spiral in Ramazan. A similar increase has been seen in the prices of kitchen items which are increasing for the last three weeks and the trend continued. The consumers complained that Sasta Bazaars could only be useful if prices were checked by the administration and stern action is taken against the profiteers.
"A price increase before the holy month and in Ramazan has become a hallmark in our society," said a customer Tahir.
He said prices were increasing since the last three weeks with no one to control them adding "Hoarders were active and the city and provincial administration appear helpless before them again. "According to city government, all the shopkeepers have been directed to display price lists at prominent places otherwise stern action in accordance with the law will be taken against the violators. According to the new rate lists issued by district administration on Friday, wheat flour will be sold at Rs500 per 20 kg bag, rice at Rs110-130 per kg, daal channa at Rs110, daal masoor at Rs110 per kg, daal mash at Rs140 per kg, daal mong at Rs100 per kg, ground flour (basin) at Rs125 per kg, sugar at Rs45 per kg and red chillies at Rs270 per kg.
The price of mutton has been fixed at Rs700 per kg, beef at Rs350 per kg, milk at Rs70 and yoghurt at Rs80 per kg while Roti Rs7 each and naan Rs8 each.
The butchers have refused to accept the new prices of mutton and beef. They claimed that the prices were fixed without consulting them.
However,the price of mutton in the open market is Rs950 to 1050 per kg and beef is Rs550 per kg.
Profiteers have also raised the prices of fruits owing to its rising demand in the holy month All the fruits available in market have witnessed an increase.
Apples are being sold between Rs200 to 250 kg, mangoes Rs150 to 200 kg, bananas Rs180 to 300 dozen, watermelons Rs25 per kg, melons Rs60 per kg and peaches Rs180 per kg.
Fruit vendors and wholesalers increase prices every year and fleece the customerswithout any fear of being penalised or caught by the authorities concerned. The citizens also criticised the district administration for not controlling prices in the open market saying that the price list issued by the administration is not in effect in any of the shops.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2018.
Ramazan it seems is not only a month of fasting and prayers and invoking the blessings of the almighty by doing charitable deeds it also is a month when marketeers and profiteers have an open season fleecing customers by charging exorbitant prices.
The perturbed citizens despite complaining to the authorities concerned still get no relief and have to pay through their nose for essential commodities.
The prices of vegetables and fruits, and all other basic food items have witnessed a surge of 25 per cent to 50 per cent increase in their prices, burdening the already troubled common man.
Load-shedding, hot weather disrupts routine life
Harassed citizens complain that prices of daily commodities like sugar, rice, pulses, chicken, beef, mutton, vegetables and fruit prices have shot up in local markets.
According to them shopkeepers had increased the prices of daily-use items on their own before the start of Ramadan as the authorities concerned had failed to check profiteering.
Like the previous year ,this year also the price control system of city district government appears to have failed in controlling the prices even in Ramazan.
The price lists issued by the local administration on Friday seems a showpiece in the shops as the shopkeepers are not following the prescribed rate lists on one pretext or the other. Nowadays, wholesalers and retailers, particularly of fruits and vegetables, are enjoying a free hand to fleece the consumers in the holy month despite the claims of the authorities concerned. The price of sugar has also been raised by 2 to 3 rupees per kg in the open market as sugar is available at Rs55 to 60 per kg.
Sehri at Kartarpura is new rage
Dates are available from Rs200 to Rs350 per kg, while chicken is being sold at around Rs290-300 per kg.
Ground flour (basin) is regularly used in Ramazan for making Pakoras for Iftar and its price nowadays is around Rs140 to 170 a kilo.
Yoghurt is being sold at Rs110 to 120 while a litre of milk costs Rs100 to Rs 110. Tomatoes are being sold at Rs30 per kg. potatoes Rs20 to 30. Onion Rs30 to 40. Lemon Rs 300 to 350 per kg. Wheat flour Rs800 to 830,20 kg bag while 'Chaki' wheat flour is available at Rs 60 per kg
Instead of being honest and helpful at least in the holy month the retailers exploit the needs of public in Ramazan.
Even the lower middle class person tries to eat nutritious fruits daily but how can they afford such prices. Nowadays, the citizens are bearing the burden of inflation.
Even at Sunday bazaars the prices of vegetables and fruits continued their upward spiral in Ramazan. A similar increase has been seen in the prices of kitchen items which are increasing for the last three weeks and the trend continued. The consumers complained that Sasta Bazaars could only be useful if prices were checked by the administration and stern action is taken against the profiteers.
"A price increase before the holy month and in Ramazan has become a hallmark in our society," said a customer Tahir.
He said prices were increasing since the last three weeks with no one to control them adding "Hoarders were active and the city and provincial administration appear helpless before them again. "According to city government, all the shopkeepers have been directed to display price lists at prominent places otherwise stern action in accordance with the law will be taken against the violators. According to the new rate lists issued by district administration on Friday, wheat flour will be sold at Rs500 per 20 kg bag, rice at Rs110-130 per kg, daal channa at Rs110, daal masoor at Rs110 per kg, daal mash at Rs140 per kg, daal mong at Rs100 per kg, ground flour (basin) at Rs125 per kg, sugar at Rs45 per kg and red chillies at Rs270 per kg.
The price of mutton has been fixed at Rs700 per kg, beef at Rs350 per kg, milk at Rs70 and yoghurt at Rs80 per kg while Roti Rs7 each and naan Rs8 each.
The butchers have refused to accept the new prices of mutton and beef. They claimed that the prices were fixed without consulting them.
However,the price of mutton in the open market is Rs950 to 1050 per kg and beef is Rs550 per kg.
Profiteers have also raised the prices of fruits owing to its rising demand in the holy month All the fruits available in market have witnessed an increase.
Apples are being sold between Rs200 to 250 kg, mangoes Rs150 to 200 kg, bananas Rs180 to 300 dozen, watermelons Rs25 per kg, melons Rs60 per kg and peaches Rs180 per kg.
Fruit vendors and wholesalers increase prices every year and fleece the customerswithout any fear of being penalised or caught by the authorities concerned. The citizens also criticised the district administration for not controlling prices in the open market saying that the price list issued by the administration is not in effect in any of the shops.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 23rd, 2018.