Prices of essential items go up in Rawalpindi
A fruit vendor awaits customers at a roadside in Karachi as flies hover over his goods. The prices of fruits often skyrocket in Ramazan. PHOTO: NNI
Prices of basic food items such as flour, rice, lentils, cooking oil, sugar and meat have continuously been rising in the whole and open market in the Rawalpindi district.
Different multinational companies have also increased the prices of their products including soaps, shampoos, powdered milk, pampers, etc
During a visit to various markets in the city, almost every consumer was asking the question as to how long will they have to suffer food price inflation and how far will it go? The government and the local administration, on the other hand, seems quite oblivious to the extreme difficulty the vast majority of citizens face in making ends meet.
Prices of various vegetables and eggs have seen a slight decrease in prices in the garrison city in the last one week or so.
Wholesalers continue to supply pulses, rice and ghee, cooking oil and other items at higher prices in the open market than the government fixed rates.
Prices of pet food and millet have also been increased and the prices of beef and mutton have also gone up.
The price of live chicken in the open market is being sold at Rs190 per kg and chicken meat at Rs285 per kg while eggs are being sold at Rs155 per dozen.
Grocery Merchant Association President Saleem Pervaiz Butt has submitted a request to the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner to convene an emergency meeting of the price control committee on the sudden increase of essential items in the wholesale market in violation of the official rates.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2022.