LAHORE:
Despite the official efforts to regulate market prices, consumers faced unbridled overload throughout the city during the past week, since sellers continued to ignore the price lists issued by the Government and did not comply with the mandatory sale of living chicken at fixed rates.
The Punjab government had reviewed the price of the live chicken for the first time in more than two and a half months, reducing it by RS13 per kilogram and establishing the official rate between RS384 and RS398 per kg. However, the living chicken was not available for sale in the city.
On the other hand, the vendors only offered chicken meat, loading between RS590 and RS700 per kg, while Boneless Chicken was sold at prices ranging from RS900 and RS1,050 per kg, significantly above the approved rates.
Price violations extended to essential vegetables and fruits, many of which were sold double or even triple official prices. Popes (grade A), with an official price from RS45 to RS50 per kg, were sold for RS80 to RS100.
The smallest popes also had a much higher price in the market than the official rates. The onions (of degree A), with a fixed price from RS40 to RS45 per kg, were sold for RS80 to RS100, while the varieties of grade B and C also saw inflated rates.
The tomatoes saw an official reduction from RS20 per kg, carrying the price of the degree tomatoes A A A RS36 to RS40 per kg.
However, in the markets, they were sold at RS80 to RS90 per kg. The garlic (local), with a price of RS152 to RS160 per kg, was available for RS150 to RS250, while the GI variety, set at RS343 to RS360, sold between RS400 and RS500.
The Chinese garlic, officially RS353 to RS370 per kg, reached RS500, and the Harani variety, set in RS220 to RS230, was sold by up to RS400.
Both the Thai and Chinese ginger, set at RS353 to RS370 per kg after a reduction of RS20, sold between RS450 and RS500.
Other vegetables saw similar discrepancies.
Agricultural cucumbers, set at RS42 to RS45 per kg, were sold for RS60 to RS100. Brinjal, officially RS47 to RS50 per kg, sold at RS80 to RS120. The spinach, with an official price without changes from RS23 to RS25, was sold for RS50 to RS60.
Capsicum, cauliflower, cabbage and carrots also showed large price gaps.
