Sunday Bazaar prices up 20 per cent

LAHORE: The price of fruits and vegetables at Sunday Bazaars rose by at least 20 per cent ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. Chicken meat sold at for higher prices than those prescribed by the city district government (CDGL).

Despite the price schedules put up by the CDGL, the vendors charged people their own prices. The vendors said that due to Eid the sales had increased despite the higher prices of several commodities. Vegetables and fruits witnessed a Rs5-Rs30 per kilogramme (kg) hike.

The buyers said that the middlemen were minting money by raising prices before Eid. “The middlemen know that people have no choice but to shop before Eid, therefore they have increased the prices,” said Javed Ahmed a resident of WAPDA Town. He said that the city district government had failed to enforce the prices of chicken. He regretted that the ‘poultry-mafia’ was charging high prices and no one was there to stop them. The shoppers said that they could not find chicken at most of the Sunday Bazaars and they had to buy it from other markets at higher rates.

The CDGL has fixed the rate of chicken meat at Rs170 per kg but it was sold for Rs185-195 per kg. “I could not find a chicken meat stall in the bazaar,” said a shopper, Naeem Ahmed of Township.

The vendors said that they were getting the supplies at higher rates and still selling them at marginal profits. “We just charge a profit of Rs2-Rs3 per kg and it is our livelihood,” said Abdul Razzaq a vendor at Green Town bazaar.

Onion were sold for Rs28-32 per kg with a raise of Rs5 per kg. The prices of tomatoes rose by Rs30 per kg as these were sold for Rs68-Rs72 per kg. Last week tomatoes were available in the market for Rs38-Rs42 per kg. The prices of potatoes remained stable. Stored and fresh potatoes were sold for Rs20-Rs24 per kg and Rs32-Rs36 per kg respectively.

Garlic price was up by Rs6 per kg and sold for Rs178-Rs182 per kg. Spinach and brinjal were sold for Rs22-Rs26 per kg, cucumber for Rs48-Rs52 per kg, ocra for Rs38-Rs42 per kg and lemon for Rs56-Rs60 per kg.

The prices of various varieties of apples also raised and were sold for Rs38-Rs90 per kg. The price of bananas was also higher and they were available for Rs26-Rs58 per dozen.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 6^th, 2010.