Runaway food prices leave people exasperated

Market committee to monitor auction at wholesale markets

RAWALPINDI:

The runaway inflation of food has made it difficult for most of the people to make ends meet, as price of almost every daily-use commodity is going up eroding the purchasing power of the people.

The hike in the utility tariffs and recent increase in the medicine prices have proved to be the last nail in the coffin for the citizens.

The price control committees have vanished and the profiteers have been given a free-hand, people shopping in Saddar Bazaar told The Express Tribune on Monday.

The prices of commodities have risen sharply across the twin cities, flour was selling Rs80 per kilogramme (kg) and sugar has hit the price of Rs115 per kg in retail, although government has fixed flour price at Rs43 per kg. In July, the official rate was Rs33 per kg.

The rates of mutton crossed Rs1,000 barrier with its recent price at Rs1,100 per kg, while poultry meat has jumped from Rs180 to Rs300 in two weeks.

The minimum price of different vegetables was Rs100 per kg while there has been a surge in prices of ghee, pulses and fruits too.

The price-hike did not spare flatbread prices and the flatbread makers have increased the prices of naan and rotis, citing the increase in flour prices. The price of naan has reached around Rs20 while paratha is selling in Rs30.

The price control committees are acting as dummies in this difficult situation and the citizens are left at the mercy of the profiteers, buyers told The Express Tribune. Elderly citizens including Ghulam Ahmed, Muhammad Aslam, Muhammad Altaf, and others claimed that they did not experience such inflation during their lifespan.

Auctions set the rates

Daily open auction sets the prices in wholesale market, said District Market Committee (DMC) Chairman Chaudhry Imtiaz Ahmed.

The market committees sets the rates of vegetables, fruits, and dairy items according to bids settled early in the morning by the traders in a fair and transparent auction.

However, the price can be manipulated by hoarders, he said asserting that huge investments are required to create an artificial shortage; small traders with turnover of a few million rupees cannot do it.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2020.