Runaway inflation weighs down twin cities' residents

As the financial year 2023-24 drew to a close, inflation continued to wreak havoc on the finances of the twin cities’s residents.

The disparity between official rate lists and actual market prices remained a significant issue, with citizens expressing dissatisfaction over both the cost and quality of goods available in Sunday and discounted markets.

Despite the end of the financial year, the inflationary trend persisted, causing frustration among residents. Official rate lists for food items seemed to have no bearing on prices in the open market or in Sunday markets. For instance, potatoes were priced between Rs78 and Rs100 per kilogram, onions ranged from Rs106 to Rs130 per kilogram, and tomatoes were sold for Rs132 to Rs150 per kilogram. Quetta garlic was available for Rs310, Chinese garlic for Rs415, while locally grown garlic was priced up to Rs300.

Ginger's price varied between Rs640 and Rs800 per kilogram, green chilies were sold for Rs90 to Rs100 per kilogram, capsicum ranged from Rs100 to Rs150 per kilogram, and lemons were priced between Rs300 and Rs400 per kilogram.

Vegetables like brinjal were sold for Rs75 to Rs95, bitter gourd for Rs90 to Rs140, peas for Rs275 to Rs300, and fistolosus for Rs85 to Rs100. Cucumber was available for Rs65 to Rs80, cauliflower for Rs130, and okra for Rs140 per kilogram.

Taro root ranged from Rs170 to Rs200, zucchini from Rs90 to Rs110, while spinach was the most affordable at Rs28 to Rs30 per kilogram.

Fruits were similarly affected by the price surge. Black apples were sold between Rs320 and Rs380, Iranian apples for Rs330, and golden apples for Rs200 to Rs250 per kilogram. Prunes were priced at Rs210 to Rs250, cherry boxes at Rs300, and peaches at Rs240 to Rs260 per kilogram.

Bananas cost Rs170 per dozen, Sindari mangoes were sold for Rs220 to Rs260, and Chonsa mangoes ranged from Rs185 to Rs230 per kilogram.

Meat prices were also steep, with broiler live chicken costing between Rs297 and Rs325, and chicken meat priced between Rs431 and Rs470 per kilogram.

While Sunday and discounted markets offered slightly lower prices, the quality of goods remained a concern. Many citizens voiced their dissatisfaction, stating that inflation had severely impacted their financial stability.

They criticized the lack of government or administrative control over market prices, claiming that vendors charged arbitrary rates. The primary reason for frequenting Sunday markets was the convenience of having a variety of goods available in one place, albeit with compromised quality.

Residents have urged the government to take immediate action to ensure the enforcement of official rate lists and improve the quality of goods available in the markets.

They stressed the need for stricter oversight to prevent vendors from exploiting consumers during these challenging economic times.