According to the City District government, a monitoring team noted increase in prices of 18 vegetables out of the total 25 available in the bazaars. While visiting Johar Town, Wahdat Colony, Model Town, Gulshan-i-Ravi, Shadman and Begum Kot Sunday bazaars, the team observed a slight drop in 7 vegetables rates. In the same way, prices of available 12 fruits, out of total 28, increased and that 9 fruits decreased, while prices of the remaining seven fruits did not see any change when compared with previous week.
Visitors of the Sunday bazaars complained of overcharging in every market on almost each item, as vendors were openly selling items at higher rates. On the other hand, surging trend in rates of onion also continued. Historically, the rates of onion usually drop to lowest level in July-Aug in Pakistan due to harvesting of it. Similarly, lowest quality rotten onion is being sold in the markets while good quality onion is being exported.
However, growers are of the view that exports of onion is not benefiting the growers as their produce is being sold much lower than the export price while the local consumer is always at the losing end due to increase in rates and sale of rotten items.
This week the price of potato increased to Rs30 per kg, price of onion increased to Rs60 per kg while tomato price also increased to Rs60 per kg. In Sunday bazaars, the rate was marginally low but vendors were selling all items at higher rates. There was low quality onion in every Sunday bazaar in city.
Garlic price was fixed at Rs160 while ginger price was increased to Rs200 per kg. Spinach gained by Rs5 per kg, fixed at Rs30 per kg in Sunday bazaars while it was sold in open markets at Rs40 per kg. Brinjal price reached Rs26 per kg and in open market it was sold at Rs30 per kg. Low quality cucumber was selling at Rs60 per kg in open market and it was not available in Sunday bazaars. Biter gourd price was fixed Rs60, Zucchini at Rs45 per kg. Peas gained by Rs30 and sold at Rs130 per kg and not available in Sunday bazaars. Cauliflower price was fixed at Rs70 per kg, cabbage at Rs60 per kg, green chili at Rs65 per kg, capsicum at Rs50 per kg and pumpkin at Rs60 per kg.
APP adds from Islamabad: Fruits and vegetables vendors, selling on Suzuki vans in the Federal Capital, were reportedly charging exorbitant and higher rates from the costumers.
