Traders threaten 30% price hike for essentials

RAWALPINDI:

After the District Price Control Committee (DPCC) failed to issue the official price list of food items and essential commodities in light of the meeting with traders on November 5, wholesalers in Rawalpindi have indicated to increase prices by 20 to 30% from November 18.

The prices of grocery items including pulses, ghee, flour and white gram are expected to go up from November 18 in the open market.

In the open wholesale market, daal channa is being sold at Rs450 per kg, daal maash at Rs700 per kg, ghee at Rs580 per kg, and white gram at Rs420 per kg. The price of flour bag increased by Rs1,200 while ghee carton jumped by Rs1,600.

According to the Wholesale Dealers Association, if the prices of petroleum products increase on November 15, the transportation charges will be included in the new prices.

The Grocery Merchant Association's central president, Saleem Parvez Butt says they had demanded the new increased official prices of all food and essential items according to the market rate during the meeting held 10 days ago but the Deputy Commissioner (DC) had not been releasing the new rate list.

"If the rates are not officially announced according to wholesalers and the wholesale market, then the sale of all food items and essential items at government rates will be completely stopped throughout Punjab," he warned.

Butt lamented that the government has started targeting small shopkeepers and grocery merchants after failing to meet the tax target but they will strongly resist, saying the wholesalers won't sell expensive items at cheaper rates.

"The option of strike and protest is also open. In the open market, the prices of all pulses, rice, ghee, flour, white gram, and red bean oil have started to increase three times a week," he said.