Price bomb: citizens wary of rising commodity rates in Punjab
Almost all seasonal vegetables witnessed 30% to 80% increase in prices
A shopping cart is pushed down the aisle in this REUTERS photo illustration.
LAHORE:
The government failed to rein in prices of the essential commodities, especially seasonal fruits and vegetables, in weekly makeshift markets that spread across the provincial capital on Sunday.
Market survey indicates that the prices of almost all seasonal vegetables witnessed around 30% to 80% increase in the weekly Sunday bazaars as compared to the first week of the previous year. Citizens blame the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s poor economic policies and inefficient price control system for the unprecedented increase in commodity prices.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, a citizen Muhammad Faizan said the prices of all seasonal vegetables jacked up over the pretext of increased petroleum prices, higher transport expense and the greater cost of input.
In addition, greengrocers and vendors are fleecing citizens by overcharging owing to sheer negligence of the price control machinery of the local and provincial administrations.
Another citizen Hafiz Nouman complained, “Most vendors sell low-quality products at premium prices.”
Year-on-year price comparison shows that potato was being sold at Rs20-22 a kilogramme on the first weekend of 2019, while it was traded in Sunday bazaars for Rs30-34 a kilogramme on the first Sunday of 2020. Peas also witnessed a two-fold increase in its price during the same period selling at Rs145-150 a kilogramme in the Sunday bazaars. The price of brinjal doubled too, costing Rs63-66 a kilogramme.
A-grade quality onion sold at the same price range of Rs49-53 as last year but it was hardly available at any stall in the market, whereas, lower quality onion was sold at Rs45-49 a kilogramme in the weekly makeshift markets.
The price of A-grade tomato gained by Rs25 a kilogramme to fix at Rs115-125 per kilogramme but was not available in the bazaar, while B-grade variety fixed at Rs105-115 a kilogramme was being sold for the price of premium quality tomatoes.
Chinese garlic was sold at Rs320 a kilogramme instead of the Rs230-270 fixed price, marking an increase of Rs45 a kilogramme. Moreover Chinese ginger was fixed at Rs258-270 for a kilogramme but sold at Rs320.
The price of local spinach reduced by Rs4 per kilogramme, fixing at Rs32-34 a kilogramme.
Cauliflower was gained by Rs15 a kilogramme, fixed at Rs67-70 a kilogram, sold at Rs80 a kilogramme and cabbage was fixed at Rs35-37 a kilogramme, sold at Rs40 a kilogramme.
Pumpkin was gained by Rs10 a kilogramme, fixed at Rs73-76 a kilogramme, not on account of wrong pricing. Lady finger was unchanged at Rs97 to 100 a kilogramme, not sold.
Carrot local was unchanged at Rs33 to 35 a kilogram, sold at Rs40 a kilogramme. Coriander was gained by Rs5 a kilogramme fixed at Rs65 to 75 a kilogram, sold at Rs120 a kilogram.
The price of different variety of apples was fixed at Rs65 to 150 a kilogramme, wherein B-grade variety was sold at Rs70 to 140 a kilogramme and A-grade quality was sold at Rs180 a kilogram.
The price of A-category Banana was fixed at Rs100 to 105 a dozen, while the B-category fixed at Rs65-70 a dozen, but was sold at Rs100 a dozen. Papaya was fixed at Rs107 to 112 a kilogramme, lower quality sold at Rs110 a kilogramme.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2020.
The government failed to rein in prices of the essential commodities, especially seasonal fruits and vegetables, in weekly makeshift markets that spread across the provincial capital on Sunday.
Market survey indicates that the prices of almost all seasonal vegetables witnessed around 30% to 80% increase in the weekly Sunday bazaars as compared to the first week of the previous year. Citizens blame the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government’s poor economic policies and inefficient price control system for the unprecedented increase in commodity prices.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, a citizen Muhammad Faizan said the prices of all seasonal vegetables jacked up over the pretext of increased petroleum prices, higher transport expense and the greater cost of input.
In addition, greengrocers and vendors are fleecing citizens by overcharging owing to sheer negligence of the price control machinery of the local and provincial administrations.
Another citizen Hafiz Nouman complained, “Most vendors sell low-quality products at premium prices.”
Year-on-year price comparison shows that potato was being sold at Rs20-22 a kilogramme on the first weekend of 2019, while it was traded in Sunday bazaars for Rs30-34 a kilogramme on the first Sunday of 2020. Peas also witnessed a two-fold increase in its price during the same period selling at Rs145-150 a kilogramme in the Sunday bazaars. The price of brinjal doubled too, costing Rs63-66 a kilogramme.
A-grade quality onion sold at the same price range of Rs49-53 as last year but it was hardly available at any stall in the market, whereas, lower quality onion was sold at Rs45-49 a kilogramme in the weekly makeshift markets.
The price of A-grade tomato gained by Rs25 a kilogramme to fix at Rs115-125 per kilogramme but was not available in the bazaar, while B-grade variety fixed at Rs105-115 a kilogramme was being sold for the price of premium quality tomatoes.
Chinese garlic was sold at Rs320 a kilogramme instead of the Rs230-270 fixed price, marking an increase of Rs45 a kilogramme. Moreover Chinese ginger was fixed at Rs258-270 for a kilogramme but sold at Rs320.
The price of local spinach reduced by Rs4 per kilogramme, fixing at Rs32-34 a kilogramme.
Cauliflower was gained by Rs15 a kilogramme, fixed at Rs67-70 a kilogram, sold at Rs80 a kilogramme and cabbage was fixed at Rs35-37 a kilogramme, sold at Rs40 a kilogramme.
Pumpkin was gained by Rs10 a kilogramme, fixed at Rs73-76 a kilogramme, not on account of wrong pricing. Lady finger was unchanged at Rs97 to 100 a kilogramme, not sold.
Carrot local was unchanged at Rs33 to 35 a kilogram, sold at Rs40 a kilogramme. Coriander was gained by Rs5 a kilogramme fixed at Rs65 to 75 a kilogram, sold at Rs120 a kilogram.
The price of different variety of apples was fixed at Rs65 to 150 a kilogramme, wherein B-grade variety was sold at Rs70 to 140 a kilogramme and A-grade quality was sold at Rs180 a kilogram.
The price of A-category Banana was fixed at Rs100 to 105 a dozen, while the B-category fixed at Rs65-70 a dozen, but was sold at Rs100 a dozen. Papaya was fixed at Rs107 to 112 a kilogramme, lower quality sold at Rs110 a kilogramme.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2020.