sunday bazaar update – Onion run short, prices spiral

LAHORE – Customers criticised the government for allowing onions to be exported to India and creating a shortage in the local market, while the prices of vegetables and fruits increased at Sunday Bazaars.
The prices of onions have seen a sharp increase over the last two months. The vendors also complained about low consumer turn out and said high prices had decreased their profits.
Customers said the government should at least decrease the export of onion so that its price in local market could be controlled. Onion price in September was Rs 30 per kg but it increased sharply in October despite crop harvest. The price of onion on Sunday remained Rs 50-60 per kg.
This price is revolving at this level for the last two months.
They also complained about the poor quality of vegetables and fruits and cleanliness arrangements. “Sunday bazaars administration has totally failed to check the quality of products while garbage has become a hallmark of these bazaars,” said a housewife, Bushra Imran. She said though the management could not
control prices but at least could make the bazaars clean.
“The government should evolve an export mechanism that local market also gets sufficient supplies, as it will also control the prices in local market,” said a customer Farooq Mughal, adding the prices of other vegetables were also high and out of the poor’s reach.
Another customer, Shahbaz Ahmed said it had become difficult for the poor to meet ends. The poor could not buy basic vegetables like onion, garlic, tomatoes and ginger. “The government should provide relief to the people, at least by lowering the prices of vegetables,” he lamented.
Vendors said high prices of vegetables had lowered their profits as people were less inclined to buying extra products. “The customers don’t buy additional amounts vegetables owing to high prices; it impacts our profits,” said a vegetable seller, Khuda Buksh, adding the vendors had nothing to do with high prices and it were the middlemen which exploited the market.