Price of most seasonal fruits and vegetables have been jacked up in the provincial capital ahead of Eidul Azha.
A number of citizens complained on Sunday that greengrocers were fleecing the consumers in broad daylight owing to the incompetence or apathy of the state machinery.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, they accused the government of having given a free hand to profiteers to fleece the people who were already bearing the brunt of coronavirus lockdowns.
A citizen, Ejaz Ahmad, said there was no difference between the present and previous governments. People had great hopes from the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government but it had badly failed to bring any change. “Ahead of every festive season profiteers start looting citizens but the government does not take any action,” he added.
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A customer, Muhammad Rasheed, pointed out that prices of tomato, onion, ginger, garlic and other seasonal vegetables used in Eidul Azha cuisines had multiplied during the past couple of weeks.
Citizens are making repeated complaints but the government is ignoring the basic issues like previous rulers, he said.
He added that it seems that the country has failed to establish any system of price control. Ministers and even the chief minister have to issue statements and directives for checking commodity prices.
“What is the use of district administration and price control magistrates if the provincial government has to perform their functions?”
The official rates show that the price of potato soft skin new A-grade was up Rs7 per kg, fixed at Rs75 to Rs79, B-Grade at Rs70 to Rs74 per kg but was not available, and sugar free at Rs51 to 55 per kg but sold at Rs75 per kg, while the stored variety’s price was fixed at Rs33 to Rs35 per kg, but it was sold at Rs50 to Rs60 per kg.
The price of onion A-grade was hiked by Rs8 to Rs36 to Rs38 per kg, but sold at Rs50, B-grade Rs32 to Rs34 and C-grade Rs28 to Rs30 per kg.
The official price of tomato A-grade was increased by Rs32 per kg to Rs80 per kg, but sold at Rs100 to Rs120 per kg, while the B-grade varierty was sold at Rs80 to Rs100 per kg and C-grade Rs80 per kg. The price of garlic local was up Rs10 per kg.
The price of Chinese ginger was fixed at Rs295 per kg, but it was sold at Rs400 per kg.
Cucumber was sold for Rs80 per kg, brinjal Rs40 to Rs50 per kg, spinach Rs60 per kg, lemon Rs150 to Rs160 per kg, green chili Rs100 to Rs120, capsicum Rs80, cauliflower Rs160 and cabbage Rs40 to Rs60 per kg.
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The price of peas was fixed at Rs120 to Rs125 per kg but was not available for sale.
The price of unripe mangoes was fixed at Rs40 to Rs42 per kg, but sold at higher rates.
Apples were sold Rs150 to Rs350 per kg, B-category bananas for Rs150 per dozen, papaya Rs200 per kg, grapefruit Rs40 per piece, melon Rs50 to Rs80 per kg, watermelon Rs40 to Rs60 per kg.
The official price of peach was fixed at Rs190 to Rs195 per kg, but the fruit was sold at Rs200 to Rs240 per kg, plump gained Rs10 per kg to Rs160 to Rs165 but was sold at Rs200 to Rs250 per kg.
Apricots were sold for Rs150 to Rs250 per kg, mangoes Rs100 to Rs200 and lychee Rs250 to Rs300.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 6th, 2020.
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