Prices of vegetables in Lahore, Pakistan have drastically increased. Out of the 27 vegetables enlisted by the market committee, prices of 18 vegetables increased, five decreased and prices of four vegetables remained unchanged.
Prices of onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, potatoes and lemon increased while prices of spinach, cucumber and brinjal decreased.
The new prices of tomatoes increased to Rs 100-120 per kg, onion Rs 60-80 per kg, potatoes Rs 40-50 per kg, garlic Rs 180-200 per kg, Ginger Rs 200-300 per kg, spinach Rs 30 per kg, cabbage Rs 60 per kg, cauliflower Rs 80 per kg bittergourd Rs 100 per kg, tinday Rs 70 per kg, peas Rs200 per kg and capsicum Rs 80 per kg.
Retailers claim that they are getting the supplies at much higher rates, so, they have no choice but to raise the prices. They also claim that supplies have dried up, though there have been no reports of significant shortages of commodities in the market.
In order to provide some sort of relief to people, the Punjab provincial government’s district administration set up Sunday Bazaars, but these bazaars failed providing any reprieve from the sky-high inflation as commodities were overpriced.
Even though there were complaints of the government not doing much to keep the soaring prices in check, market committees for Sunday bazaars have somehow managed to keep the rates of several food items in these special bazaars under control.
