LAHORE:
The increase in perishable food prices in Punjab has triggered frustration, since consumers continue to pay well above the officially fixed rates for basic products despite the formation of new price control mechanisms.
This week, the prices of essential vegetables and poultry products remained significantly higher than the rates sanctioned by the government in local markets. The persistent violation of official price lists doubts the usefulness of newly established mechanisms.
In poultry markets, discrepancies between official rates and loaded prices remained firm. The official rate for the living chicken was reduced in RS15, which led it to RS374-388 per kg, however, consumers reported having paid between up to RS480 per kilogram. Similarly, chicken meat had an official price of RS562 per kilogram, but was sold for RS570-640, while the boneless chicken reached up to RS1,200.
The vegetables also showed alarming prices gaps. Soft-a-grade A potatoes were set at RS80-85 but were sold at RS140-150 per kg. Onion prices were officially located at RS50-55 per kg of degree quality A, but reached up to RS100 in the market. The tomatoes were established in RS82-90 per kilogram, but prices increased to RS150.
Garlic and ginger were among the most expensive items, with garlic varieties sold by up to RS400 per kg against the official RS210-260 rates. The ginger was sold for RS600-700 per kg, far exceeding the fixed rates of RS400-460.
Other vegetables, such as cucumber (RS200/kg), Brinjal (RS150), the bitter pumpkin (RS220) and Ladyfinger (RS240), also saw steep marked. The spinach, pumpkin, zucchini, lemon and arum followed a similar pattern, exceeding official prices in RS30-100 per kilogram.
The fruits were no exception. The apples, with an official price at RS145-265 per kg, are sold to RS350. Banana prices saw a jump from RS50-90 above fixed rates depending on the rating, while guayaba and papaya exceeded the limits or were not available. Grapes and mangoes, despite minor adjustments in official prices, were sold at significantly inflated rates, with some varieties that reach RS500 per kg.
Even average income consumers found basic fruits such as melon, dates and insequible peaches. The dates had an official price of RS460-490 per kg, but rates were observed in rates up to RS2,000.
