Sunday Bazaars: dens of massive overcharging
LAHORE: Although Sunday markets were known to be places where one could buy everyday items at cheap rates, people of Lahore were experiencing just the opposite this year. Massive profiteering and overcharging in these markets were being experienced by citizens besides shortage of several fruits and vegetables.
Various people also complained about the non-availability of seasonal vegetables like eggplant, capsicum, cauliflower, cabbage, garlic, pumpkin and zucchini. They said that all these vegetables were available in the open markets which showed that the provincial government had once again failed to ensure their availability in the weekly makeshift markets.
Shopkeeper Maskeen Khan pointed out that vendors were selling only those vegetables in these markets that had low prices at wholesale level. He said that they had curtailed the supply of all expensive vegetables in Sunday markets. “I do not see any benefit of these markets if citizens have to shop from the open markets at high price.”
Another citizen, Muhammad Saeed, said that the government officials tried to regulate prices of fruits and vegetables only and had no control on the prices of other products like dry fruits, packed products, etc.
Greengrocer Sarfraz Bhatti said that market committees always tried to keep commodity prices low in the official price list to keep the government happy. But in reality, these prices were intentionally written less than the market rate in the official price list, he added. “It is impossible for us to procure commodities at higher rate and sell at lower price. We prefer not selling these commodities in weekly makeshift markets to avoid losses,” he disclosed.
Official price list showed that the price of potato was reduced by Rs3 per kilogramme and was fixed at Rs20 to 22 per kilogramme for makeshift markets and Rs23 per kilogramme for open markets. However, it was being sold at Rs30 to Rs40 per kilogramme in open markets.
Similarly, the price of onion was also lowered by Rs3 per kilogramme and fixed at Rs45 to 47 per kilogramme. Mixed grade was being sold at Rs47 per kilogramme. The price of tomato also witnessed a decline of Rs24 per kilogramme and was fixed at Rs34 to 36 per kilogramme.
The price of Chinese garlic was decreased by Rs10 per kilogramme and fixed at Rs102 to 105 per kilogramme. However, the price of local garlic was reduced by Rs10 per kilogramme and fixed at Rs68 to 70 per kilogramme. Both were not being sold on account of wrong price fixation while these were being sold in the open market at Rs100 to 130 per kilogramme.
The price of Chinese ginger was reduced by Rs30 garlic, fixed at Rs102 to 105 garlic. Thai ginger’s price was reduced by Rs63 to 65 garlic and was being sold at Rs120 per kilogramme.
The price of eggplant was reduced by Rs3 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs30 to 32 per kilogramme and was not being sold on wrong pricing issue. Local cucumber was fixed at Rs38 to 40 per kilogramme and was being sold at Rs50 per kilogramme. Bitter gourd was increased by Rs5 per kilogramme and was fixed at Rs78 to 80 per kilogramme.
The price of spinach was reduced by Rs8 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs14 to 15 a kilogram and was being sold at Rs30 per kilogramme.
Market committee officials issued the rates of local spinach at Rs30 per kilogramme to vendors instead of official price list rate of Rs25 per kilogramme. The price of Chinese lemon was reduced by Rs2 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs36 to 38 per kilogramme and was being sold at Rs 50 to 60 per kilogramme.
The prices of both zucchini farm and long were reduced by Rs10 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs33 to 35 per kilogramme but not sold on account of wrong pricing issue. The price of pumpkin was reduced by Rs17 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs36 to 38 per kilogramme.
The price of green chilli was increased by Rs5 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs97 to 100 per kilogramme and was being sold at Rs120 per kilogramme. The price of capsicum was declined by Rs20 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs78 to 80 per kilogramme and was not being sold on wrong pricing issue.
The price of coriander was fixed at Rs45 per kilogramme, being sold at Rs200 per kilogramme. Beans rate was not issued but was being sold at Rs200 per kilogramme. Carrot’s price was declined by Rs5 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs19 to 20 per kilogramme. The price of methi was reduced by Rs18 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs30 to 32 per kilogramme and was not being sold on wrong pricing issue.
The price of turnip was reduced by Rs3 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs21 to 22 per kilogramme and was being sold at Rs22 to 40 per kilogramme. The price of radish was increased by Rs8 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs14 to 15 per kilogramme and was being sold at Rs15 to 30 per kilogramme. The price of mongray was reduced by Rs30 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs38 to 40 per kilogramme and was not being sold on wrong pricing issue.
The price of cauliflower was declined by Rs30 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs17 to 18 per kilogramme. The price of cabbage was reduced by Rs20 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs26 to 28 per kilogramme, both were not sold due to wrong pricing issue. The price of pea was reduced by Rs25 per kilogramme, fixed at Rs48 to 50 per kilogramme. Different varieties of apples were fixed at Rs48 to 130 per kilogramme and were being sold at Rs60 to 140 per kilogramme.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2018.
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Original news : https://tribune.com.pk/story/1603064/1-sunday-bazaars-dens-massive-overcharging/