Let the profiteering begin

A banana seller yelling "Rs100 a dozen, Rs150 for two dozen," all year long heaved a sigh of relief as the crescent of the holy month of Ramazan smiled above the horizon.

"It is as if the lady luck is smiling at us," Muhammad Imran, a Seraiki fruit vendor from southern Punjab said about the Ramazan moon. He was briskly selling the bananas at Rs200 with no one demanding a discount deal.

With the arrival of Ramazan, profiteering has surged, causing fruit prices to double in just one day, while grains and vegetables are also being sold at inflated rates. The official price list remains unenforced, and the administration has only set up symbolic complaint centers, leaving citizens at the mercy of price gougers, as has been the tradition during Ramazan.

Fruit prices skyrocketed overnight, with melons jumping from Rs60 per kg to Rs150 per kg, chikoo from Rs200 to Rs400 per kg, and apples from Rs300 to Rs450 per kg. Bananas, previously available at Rs100 per dozen, are now selling for Rs200 per dozen. The price of guavas also surged from Rs200 to Rs300 per kg as soon as Ramazan began.

On the first day of fasting, vendors exploited the situation, charging different rates to different customers, forcing many citizens to drastically limit their fruit purchases. Additionally, prices of vegetables commonly used in Chinese cuisine have also soared. Capsicum jumped from Rs200 to Rs320 per kg, cabbage from Rs100 to Rs150 per kg, and green onions from Rs200 to Rs320 per kg.

Grocery store owners blatantly ignored official price regulations, selling gram flour (besan) at Rs360 per kg, despite its government-fixed price of Rs275 per kg. The cost of sugar surged by Rs20 in a week, reaching Rs170 per kg. White chickpeas (kabuli chana) first-grade were sold at Rs450 per kg instead of Rs350, while black chickpeas increased from Rs255 to Rs380 per kg.

Meanwhile, chicken meat continues to sell at Rs700 per kg, while the price of beef had already increased by Rs100 per kg before Ramazan. Beef with bone is now selling for Rs1,200 per kg, while boneless beef has reached Rs1,600 per kg.

Hyderabad price hike

The claims of the district administration, market committee and related institutions to stop inflation during Ramazan proved unsuccessful.

Every year, government officers are given the powers of magistrates to regulate the prices of food items during the month of Ramazan. However, this year too, as Ramazan begins, the prices of food items have skyrocketed.

The market committee issued price lists late, while most shopkeepers and vendors did not display the official lists, due to which citizens were forced to buy fruits at high prices. Fruit sellers were selling fruits at arbitrary prices. All the steps taken by the administration to control the prices of food items proved futile.

On the first of Ramazan, the prices of fruits were significantly increased. The price of first-grade strawberries reached Rs400 to 600 per kg and the price of second-grade strawberries Rs300 to 400. First-gradde bananas were sold at Rs300 per dozen instead of Rs250, while second grade bananas were sold at Rs200 instead of Rs150. Golden apples were sold at Rs250 to 400, Iranian apples at Rs340 to 400 and Kalani first-class at Rs200 to 300 per kg.

Pomegranate prices saw the highest increase, and were sold at Rs600 to 800 per kg instead of the fixed price of Rs440. Other fruits also became more expensive: guavas were sold for 160 to 250 rupees per kilogram, papayas for 240 to 300 rupees, kinnows for 230 to 300 rupees, mosambis for 100 to 150 rupees, gola apples for 90 to 150 rupees, melons for 90 to 120 rupees, and cantaloupes for 140 to 200 rupees per kilogram. Watermelon and kiwi were not listed in the official price list, but watermelons were sold for 200 rupees per kilogram, and kiwis reached 1,000 rupees per kilogram

On the first day ofRamazan, the rise in fruit prices frustrated citizens, who preferred to buy only cheaper fruits.

A fruit vendor, Muhammad Naveed, said that seasonal fruits are cheaper, while imported fruits are more expensive. He stated that the market committee sets three types of rates auction rates, wholesale rates, and retail rates. He pointed out that when auctions are conducted at high prices, retail fruit prices automatically increase. He also criticized government institutions impose fines on fruit vendors, but no action is taken against those selling at high prices in the auction.

Meanwhile, Latifabad administration inspected the rate lists and imposed fines for violationsons.