Consumers face persisting food price hike

LAHORE:

Consumers in the provincial capital continue to face soaring prices of essential commodities as the district administration struggles to enforce official price regulations.

Shopkeepers, greengrocers and street vendors charged arbitrary rates on Sunday, often well above the government-mandated prices.

With price lists largely unenforced, perishable goods were sold at inflated rates across the city.

Consumers complained that the vendors were demanding excessive prices for vegetables, with lower-grade produce often surpassing the official rates for higher-quality items. In some cases, premium-grade goods were priced at nearly double the prescribed limits.

The official price of chicken had recently been reduced by Rs11 per kilogram to Rs386-400. However, the market rates remain significantly higher at Rs460-480 per kg. Similarly, chicken meat, officially priced at Rs580 per kg following a Rs15 reduction, was available in the markets for Rs680-950 in different areas of the metropolis.

Vegetable prices also saw major disparities. Despite an official Rs9 per kg reduction, A-grade potatoes, set at Rs49-53 per kg, were sold for Rs60-100 per kg. Onions, despite a Rs2 per kg drop, remain overpriced, with A-grade fixed at Rs74-80 but selling between Rs80 and Rs125 per kg.