Food prices skyrocket ahead of Ramazan

Concerns mount over apparent lack of price control measures

RAWALPINDI:

As the holy month of Ramazan is approaching fast, a new storm of food inflation has lashed the city and shaken the nerves of the people of Rawalpindi city. The prices of all items have been increased by 30% in the context of Iftar.

The prices of vegetables, fruits, dates, gram flour, pulses, ghee, white gram, chicken and meat have increased dramatically. The prices of dates, a regular item for breaking fast, have jacked up to the highest rate of Rs800 per kg, and gram flour is being sold at Rs300 per kg. The prices of dates and gram flour and dates are expected to increase further next week.

Live chicken is being sold at Rs475 per kg, chicken meat Rs650 per kg, eggs Rs250 per dozen, mutton Rs2,200 per kg, beef Rs1,200 per kg, white chickpeas Rs400 per kg, black gram Rs350 per kg, red beans Rs380 per kg, lentils Rs300 per kg, lentil mash Rs510 per kg, and potato is being sold in Rs45 to Rs50 per kg.

Similarly, onion is being charged for Rs250 per kg, tomato Rs150 per kg, lemon Rs150 per kg, garlic Rs600, ginger Rs630, okra Rs260, karela Rs300, cucumber Rs100 per kg, radish Rs40 per kg, carrot Rs60 per kg, cabbage Rs130 per kg, brinjal Rs120 per kg, green chilli Rs200 per kg, and coriander is being sold in Rs50 per packet.

Shopkeepers and vendors are selling apples from Rs250 to 300 per kg, pomegranates from Rs350 to Rs400 per kg, guava from Rs150 to Rs200 per kg, bananas from Rs150 to Rs160 per dozen, citrus fruits from Rs150 to Rs250 per dozen, while strawberries are being sold in Rs600 per kg.

Read: Inflation spikes on food, energy costs

President of Anjuman Tajaran Sabzi Mandi, Ghulam Qadir Mir says that as Ramazan nears, the wholesale markets lack a supply of vegetables and fruits. The supply of pulses is even not in full quantity.

The Ramazan shopping is expected to start next week. Due to the low supply of eatables, the prices of vegetables, fruits and grocery items are much more likely to increase to a record this year in Ramazan, leaving the citizens under acute financial stress.

And if the prices of petroleum products are also increased in Ramazan, the price control mechanism would flop. It appears that the Rawalpindi district administration has [apparently] no price control strategy ahead of the holy month.

Flower price hike

On the other hand, flower sellers also increased the prices of fresh flowers and flower petals on the eve of Shab-e-Barat. The people buy flowers to place on the graves of their near and dear ones.

In the open market, flower petals were sold at a record price of Rs600 per kg and fresh flowers at Rs650 per kg. A large number of citizens, who went to the cemeteries to buy flower petals for praying on the graves of their loved ones, were forced to buy flower petals at a record-high price.

The sellers charged Rs600 per kg for rose petals, Rs550 per kg for mixed leaves of various wildflowers including roses and chrysanthemums, Rs700 per kg for fresh rose petals, Rs500 for normal dry flower wreath and Rs1000 for fancy wreath, Rs1,800 for wreath of fresh flowers, and sold a packet of incense sticks in Rs250.

Flower seller Asghar Abbasi said that the prices have shot up due to rising demand for flowers and flower petals on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat and wedding season before Ramazan.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 26^th, 2024.