Lahore:
The rise in prices of perishable food through Punjab has triggered frustration, because consumers continue to pay well above the prices officially fixed for basic products despite the formation of new price control mechanisms.
This week, prices of essential vegetables and poultry products remained significantly higher than the rates sanctioned by the government on local markets. The persistent violation of official price lists challenges the usefulness of newly established mechanisms.
In poultry markets, the differences between official rates and billed prices remained striking. The official rate for living chicken has been reduced by RS15, which brought it to Rs374-388 per kg, but consumers said they had paid up to Rs480 per kilogram. Likewise, chicken meat was officially at the price of RS562 per kilogram, but sold for RS570-640, while boned chicken reached as high as Rs1,200.
Vegetables have also shown alarming price gaps. The apple potatoes with soft quality A skin A have been fixed at RS80-85 but sold to RS140-150 per kg. The prices of the onion were officially amounted to RS50-55 per kg of quality A, but they reached Rs100 on the market. The tomatoes were set at RS82-90 per kilogram, but the prices increased to RS150.
Garlic and ginger were among the most expensive items, with garlic varieties coming to Rs400 per kg against 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), the Brinjal (RS150), the bitter gourde (RS220) and Ladyfinger (RS240), have also seen high markings. Spinach, pumpkin, zucchini, lemon and arum followed a similar model, exceeding the official prices of RS30-100 per kilogram.
The fruits were no exception. Apples, at the price officially at Rs145-265 per kg, sold to RS350. The prices of bananas experienced a leap of RS50-90 above the fixed rates depending on the note, while the guava and the papaya exceeded the limits or were not available. The grapes and mangoes, despite minor official prices adjustments, were sold at considerably inflated rates, certain varieties reaching RS500 per kg.
Even intermediate income consumers have found basic fruits such as melon, dates and unaffordable peaches. The dates were officially at the price of RS460-490 per kg, but seen on markets at rates as high as RS2,000.
