Vendors disregard unchanged price lists

Greengrocers sell low-quality produce at rates set for high grades

LAHORE:

For the past week, the district government has been issuing unchanged official price lists for chicken meat, despite a significant rise in market prices. Retailers have blatantly disregarded the official rates, with many refusing to display the lists and denying sale to customers who reference them. Officially, the price of chicken was set at Rs397-411 per kilogram, but it was sold at Rs550-600 per kilogram on Sunday. Similarly, chicken meat priced at Rs595 per kilogram on the official list was sold at Rs750-940 per kilogram in local markets.

Amid widespread overcharging across the city, vendors were found selling lower-grade fruits and vegetables at premium-grade prices, flouting the government-issued price lists.

In the vegetable markets, the official price of soft-skin A-grade potatoes was fixed at Rs65-70 per kilogram but they were sold at Rs100 per kilogram. B-grade potatoes, officially priced at Rs55-60 per kilogram, and C-grade, priced at Rs46-50, were sold as mixed grades at Rs80 per kilogram. Onions also saw sharp price hikes, with A-grade priced at Rs130-140 per kilogram officially but sold at Rs160-180 per kilogram. Mixed-grade onions, fixed at Rs112-120 per kilogram for B-grade and Rs102-110 for C-grade, were sold well above the rates.

Tomatoes, another essential item, were sold at exorbitant prices. A-grade tomatoes, officially priced at Rs168-185 per kilogram, were sold at Rs250-280 per kilogram. B-grade tomatoes, fixed at Rs150-165, and C-grade, priced at Rs127-140, were sold at Rs180-200 per kilogram. Garlic prices also saw steep inflation.

Local garlic, officially fixed at Rs520-545 per kilogram, was sold for Rs800 per kilogram, while Chinese garlic, priced at Rs558-585 per kilogram, was sold at Rs800-1,000. Similarly, both Thai and Chinese ginger, officially priced at Rs286-300 per kilogram, were sold at Rs450-600 per kilogram.

Fruits were no exception to the price hikes. Apples, officially priced at Rs130-265 per kilogram depending on the variety, were sold at Rs180-450 per kilogram. Bananas, another staple fruit, saw similar markups. A-category bananas, officially priced at Rs130-155 per dozen, were sold at Rs180-200 per dozen. Guavas, fixed at Rs110-140 per kilogram, were sold at Rs150-200 per kilogram.

Premium fruits such as pomegranates also experienced substantial price increases.