Price hike and shortages has gripped the port city with the advent of the fasting month of Ramazan, people buying groceries from the outlets of the Utility Stores Corporation (USC) and other super markets said during a survey conducted by The Express Tribune.
Fruits, though least on buyers' priority throughout the year, become an essential item to break the fast. Subsequently, an overnight price hike was seen in the rates of bananas, melons and apples.
The supply of subsidized flour and sugar remained under pressure at Utility Stores where peoplequed up to buy goods on discounted rates.
Long queues of citizens were witnessed outside utility stores in Akhtar Colony, Defence Housing Authority and other areas of Karachi. The prices of essential commodities had soared with the onset of the holy month and citizens had flocked to utility stores, expecting that they might be able to purchase essential items like sugar and flour there. However, they returned empty handed and disappointed as the stores had run out of essential items, some of them complained while speaking to The Express Tribune.
Read: NCOC tightens Covid-19 restrictions as Ramazan begins
This Ramazan, like the previous ones, they were to be tested in more ways than one- there was a shortage of essential items in markets and where available, the items were being sold at high prices, the citizens lamented. Same was the case fruits, which are a iftar staple. The price of a dozen bananas soared from Rs80 to Rs150 to Rs160. Similarly, the rates of melons, kinnows and apples increased as well.
To top it, the Sindh government and the relevant district administrations, seemingly, remained oblivious to the problem, not taking any action against profiteers, citizens complained.
Sources in district administrations told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity that several complaints were lodged with the relevant authorities regarding the non-availability of sugar and flour in utility stores.
It was so despite the announcement of a Ramazan relief package by the government last month.
The package worth Rs7.8 billion was announced with the aim to provide essential food items at controlled prices at special outlets across the country during the holy month. The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet had given nod to the package in a meeting chaired by the finance minister Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.
Back then, the USC managing director had told the ECC that procurement would start from April 1 to ensure the availability of basic items at discounted prices across 4,000 outlets of the USCs throughout the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2021.
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