Rising food costsirk citizens

Discount bazaars become points for decaying fruits, vegetables

RAWALPINDI:

Residents of Rawalpindi district have been left at the mercy of a storm of inflation, as the district administration and price magistrates have utterly failed to enforce the officially fixed rates of food items and other essentials.

The authorities also appear incapable of addressing the ongoing sugar crisis.

Security arrangements at the so-called "Sunday and Friday discount bazaars" have been entirely withdrawn, reducing them to marketplaces for decaying fruits and vegetables.

The price difference between these bazaars and the open market has disappeared, with essential commodities, fruits, and vegetables now being sold well above official rates—ranging from Rs30 to as high as Rs800 per kilogramme.

For example, mutton carries an official price of Rs1,600 per kilogramme but is being sold at Rs2,400; beef, fixed at Rs800 per kg, is being sold at Rs1,400.

Vendors are selling potatoes for Rs100 per kg, lemons for Rs400 per kg, peas for Rs300 per kg, cucumbers for Rs110 per kg, cauliflower for Rs160 per kg, tomatoes for Rs100 per kg, garlic for Rs350 per kg, ginger for Rs550 per kg, arvi for Rs160 per kg, coriander for Rs50–80 per bunch, spinach Rs50 per bunch, green chillies for Rs200 per kg, capsicum for Rs400 per kg, and okra for Rs200 per kg.