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Thursday March 28, 2024

Sharp rise in vegetable prices hits consumers hard

By Khalid Iqbal
September 18, 2017

Rawalpindi :Public has strongly denounced the sharp rise in price of tomatoes which was sold from Rs200 and Rs250 per kilograms even in weekly bazaars. The price is quite alarmingly high as compared to Rs35-40 per kilogram when the rise started couple of weeks back.

Tomato prices have jumped by more than 500 per cent in just two weeks but government departments particularly the price control magistrates are watching the entire game with closed eyes taking this matter non-seriously.

The city district government, Rawalpindi and Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) management have issued price list and fixed rate of 1-kilogram tomato at Rs130. The farmers blamed “impulsive import decisions” for the current crisis whereas the officials and traders hold climatic variations for delaying ripening up of crop in Sindh and creating current stress. The hype added to the common man’s woes, by generating fears of shortage and some panic buying in the market.

“It was shameful that not only tomatoes rates but all other vegetable prices skyrocketed but our government is busy in other issues,” Nabeela Bashir a customer in Committee Chowk Weekly Bazaar told ‘The News’ on Sunday. 

She said that some 15 days back, wholesale price of tomato was hovering between Rs35-40 per kg which rose to Rs80-100 per kg last week and on Sunday the wholesale price was ranging between Rs200-250 per kg depending on the quality.

Secretary Market Committee (SMC) Nazar Hussain said that they have issued price list and ordered sale of 1-kilogram tomato at Rs130. The price magistrates are continuously checking weekly bazaars and retail vegetable shops to arrest profiteers, he claimed. He has admitted that consumers are upset because of skyrocketing prices of tomato and all other vegetables.

Apart from tomatoes rates of onion, potato, garlic and all other vegetables also crawled up, with retailers attributing the price hike to rising wholesale prices. It seems that market forces have made a case for potato, onion and garlic price hike ahead of start of new Islamic year since the vegetable usually becomes the most sought-after item used in Muharram-specific dishes from first of Muharram to Ashura.

Onion’s retail price also went up to Rs80 per kg from Rs40 per kg some two weeks back. Potato arriving from cold storages costs Rs40 per kg as its wholesale price has also risen to Rs30-35 from Rs25-30 per kg last week. Similarly, 1-kilogram peas are selling at Rs160, capsicum at Rs100 and ‘arvi’ at Rs50. 

Giving reason of increase in vegetable prices, Wholesale Vegetable Dealers Association officials said that suspension in supply of tomatoes from India was one of the main reasons. They also said tomatoes from new Sindh crop has started and currently production of Badin is finding way into the market. They added that improved supplies from Sindh crop would cause drop in prices definitely.

They also said onion was being exported to many countries as new Sindh crop has already got underway. Supply from new crop will improve significantly in coming weeks which will help bring down prices.

Abad Khan from the Farmers Associates Pakistan in a statement is of the opinion that the reckless import policy has hit the crop, robbing farmers of their confidence both in the government and the crops. “Each time the prices rise a bit -- because shortages and gluts are essential part of the agriculture cycle -- the government has been ordering immediate import to save city dwellers. As long these vegetables are cheap, no one bothers. As soon as prices rise and farmers are in for a chance to make money, cheap imports find their way to domestic market, leaving farmers hapless and only to absorb low prices and losses. That is why farmers now hardly produce according to a plan and fluctuations, both in produce and price, are even more regular, he claims.

Public has strongly criticised government policies which disturbed kitchen budget of families. The elected representatives should consider public grievances rather baseless issues, public denounced.