Prices of iftar items double this Ramazan

With the opening of large iftar centres and iftar buffets all over the city to facilitate thousands of citizens, the prices of iftar items have almost touched the sky this year. Refreshment centres are too no exception.

With the onset of Ramazan, thousands of temporary stalls and pushcarts have been set up in all streets and neighbourhoods across the city for selling pakora, samosa, kachori, chips, chana chaat, dahi baray, fruit chaat and dates.

Where the prices of all iftar items have been increased by 100%, the use of low-grade oil and raw materials in making pakora and samosa has caused diseases among the buyers.

Famous iftar item pakora is being sold at Rs1,200 per kg, potato samosa Rs720 per dozen, chicken samosa Rs900 per dozen, kachori plain vegetable mix Rs200 per piece, kachori chicken with minced meat Rs250 per piece, chana chaat Rs350 per plate, dahi baray large Rs250 to Rs270 per plate, fruit chaat Rs300 to Rs350 per plate, French fries Rs100 per box, small samosa Rs250 dozen, potato roll Rs30, potato cake Rs30 to Rs35 and dates are being sold at Rs800 to Rs1,000 per kg.

In big hotels and restaurants, iftar dinner is being charged from Rs1,800 to Rs3,000 per person. As the demand for pakora, samosa, samosa roll, French fires and kachori peaks during the holy month, the sale of adulterated oil and ghee also jumps in the market. The street vendors are seen using cheap substandard oil and ghee in making iftar items at the cost of human health.

The chairman of the Citizen Action Committee, Zaheer Awan has demanded action against the sale of adulterated ghee and oil in the city markets.

Additional Medical Superintendent at Benazir Bhutto Hospital Dr Anayat says that adulterated ghee and oil, which is produced with the help of fats, trigger intestinal diseases and cancer.

He says the Punjab Food Authority (PFA) needs to take strict measures against the production and sale of such oil and ghee. Dr Anayat has advised people with fasting to remain cautious while buying samosa and pakora from street vendors.