Vegetables’ prices soar as Eidul Azha approaches

The anticipated affect of floods on supply of fruits, vegetables may finally have trickled down to the end consumer.

ISLAMABAD: The long-expected affect of floods on the supply of fruits and vegetables may finally have trickled down to the end consumer.

Prices of most vegetables rose in the past one month. Potatoes were being sold for Rs45 per kilogramme (kg) in the Sunday market at Aabpara in Islamabad. The price for potatoes in the same market a month ago was Rs36 -- an increase of 25 per cent.

Of the 11 items surveyed, prices of eight were up. Just two items, peas and teendas, saw a fall in their price, while the price of lemons remained unchanged.

aheed Abbas, assistant director in Capital Development Authority who is responsible for the Sunday bazaar, said that the growth of vegetables has stopped due to the heavy flooding of plains, which was the main reason behind the increase of prices.

Suppliers were being forced to import vegetables, especially onions and potatoes, from India, he added.

However many, including greengrocers and customers alike, believe that the prices had soared due to Eidul Azha, which falls on November 17.

The shortage of vegetables and fruits, they said, was artificial. Rehman Ahmad, a greengrocer, said, “The price hike is because of profiteers hoarding the vegetables and fruits.”

“This is routine. Every year prices of daily commodities goes up in Ramazan and before the two Eids,” said another greengrocer.

“It seems the government is unaware of our plight. What are we to do?” asked Kosar Nasreen, who had come to the bazaar from Bhara Kahu.

Muhammad Ramzan, who is a regular visitor of Aabpara Sunday bazaar, said his monthly salary was Rs8,000 per month. “How am I supposed to make both ends meet?  The government should provide us relief,” he said.

People at the bazaar also complained of low quality of the vegetables, especially onion, potato and green chilli.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 8^th, 2010.